CVE-2021-2201 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE • 04/23/2021
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Server: Partition). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.23 and prior. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise MySQL Server. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of MySQL Server. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 4.9 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-2201 resides within the MySQL Server partitioning component of Oracle MySQL, affecting versions 8.0.23 and earlier. This represents a significant availability risk that can be exploited by attackers with high privileges and network access through multiple protocols. The flaw specifically impacts the server's partitioning functionality, which is a critical feature for database management and performance optimization. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal technical sophistication can leverage this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where MySQL servers are often exposed to network traffic.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as a condition that can cause complete denial of service through hanging or frequent crashes of the MySQL Server process. This occurs within the partitioning subsystem where the server fails to properly handle certain partition-related operations, leading to system instability. The flaw operates at a low level within the server's memory management and process handling mechanisms, where improper resource allocation or cleanup during partition operations can trigger catastrophic failures. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it affects the core database server functionality, potentially bringing entire database operations to a halt.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to database availability and business continuity. Organizations running affected MySQL versions may experience unexpected service interruptions, data access failures, and potential loss of database functionality that could impact multiple applications relying on the database. The high privilege requirement for exploitation suggests that this vulnerability is more likely to be targeted by insider threats or attackers who have already gained elevated access to the system, though the ease of exploitation means that once an attacker has sufficient privileges, they can quickly cause significant disruption. The complete denial of service condition can result in extended downtime that may require manual intervention to restore normal database operations.
The CVSS score of 4.9 indicates a medium severity vulnerability with significant availability impact, as reflected in the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. This scoring system emphasizes that while network access is required for exploitation, the attack complexity is low and the privilege requirement is high, meaning that the vulnerability can be effectively weaponized by attackers who have already established a foothold within the network. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses improper restriction of operations within a limited context, and could potentially map to ATT&CK techniques related to service stoppage and denial of service operations. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability to prevent potential exploitation that could lead to complete database service outages.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment for all affected MySQL Server versions, with particular attention to systems that have elevated privileges or are exposed to untrusted network traffic. Network segmentation and access controls should be reinforced to limit the potential attack surface, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of database server behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments should include verification of MySQL server configurations and partitioning operations to ensure that the system remains resilient against this specific vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should implement automated patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates and maintain inventory of all MySQL installations to prevent similar vulnerabilities from remaining undetected in the environment.