CVE-2022-21279 in MySQL Cluster
Summary
by MITRE • 01/19/2022
Vulnerability in the MySQL Cluster product of Oracle MySQL (component: Cluster: General). Supported versions that are affected are 7.4.34 and prior, 7.5.24 and prior, 7.6.20 and prior and 8.0.27 and prior. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with access to the physical communication segment attached to the hardware where the MySQL Cluster executes to compromise MySQL Cluster. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of MySQL Cluster. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 6.3 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-21279 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle MySQL Cluster implementations that affects multiple version lines including 7.4.34 and earlier, 7.5.24 and earlier, 7.6.20 and earlier, and 8.0.27 and earlier. This flaw resides within the Cluster: General component of the MySQL Cluster product, which serves as the foundational architecture for distributed database operations. The vulnerability's classification as difficult to exploit indicates that while it requires specific conditions to be successfully leveraged, the potential impact is severe enough to warrant immediate attention from security professionals. The attack vector requires an attacker to have physical access to the communication segment connected to the hardware hosting the MySQL Cluster, which places this vulnerability in the category of network-level threats that can be particularly challenging to defend against in complex enterprise environments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient security controls within the cluster communication protocols that allow for unauthorized access and potential compromise of the entire MySQL Cluster infrastructure. The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.3 reflects the high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains, indicating that successful exploitation could result in complete system takeover. The attack requires high privileged access, suggesting that the attacker must already possess elevated credentials or network access rights to the physical infrastructure. The human interaction requirement implies that while the attacker's initial access may be automated, some form of manual intervention or specific conditions must be met for the attack to progress successfully. This aspect of the vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for Application Layer Protocol: DNS and suggests potential exploitation pathways through network infrastructure manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise to encompass complete system takeover capabilities that could severely disrupt business operations and data integrity. Organizations utilizing affected MySQL Cluster versions face potential exposure to unauthorized data access, modification, and destruction across their distributed database systems. The availability impact is particularly concerning given that MySQL Cluster deployments typically support critical business applications where downtime or data corruption could result in substantial financial losses and operational disruptions. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version streams indicates that organizations across different deployment environments may be affected, requiring comprehensive assessment and remediation efforts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-21279 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to the latest supported versions of MySQL Cluster where the vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations must implement robust network segmentation and access controls to limit physical access to cluster hardware, particularly focusing on the communication segments that connect to the database infrastructure. Network monitoring solutions should be enhanced to detect anomalous communication patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's requirement for high privileged access and physical network segment access suggests that traditional perimeter-based security measures may not be sufficient, necessitating implementation of zero-trust network architectures and continuous monitoring of administrative access. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their MySQL Cluster deployments to identify any additional vulnerabilities that may compound the risk exposure. This remediation approach aligns with CWE-284 Access Control and follows ATT&CK tactics including TA0006 Credential Access and TA0005 Defense Evasion, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security posture improvements rather than isolated patching efforts.