CVE-2022-21286 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-2022-21286 represents a significant security flaw 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 weakness resides within the Cluster: General component of the MySQL Cluster product, indicating a fundamental architectural issue that impacts the core functionality of the distributed database system. The vulnerability's classification as difficult to exploit suggests that while the attack vector is not trivial, it remains a serious threat to database infrastructure security.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient security controls that allow a high privileged attacker with physical access to the communication segment connected to the MySQL Cluster hardware to execute successful compromise operations. This attack requires the attacker to have access to the physical network segment where the MySQL Cluster operates, which represents a specific but achievable threat scenario for organizations with inadequate network segmentation policies. The vulnerability's CVSS 3.1 score of 6.3 indicates a medium to high severity impact across all three core security properties, with high impacts in confidentiality, integrity, and availability, suggesting that successful exploitation could result in complete system takeover.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-21286 extends beyond simple data compromise to potentially enable full system control of the MySQL Cluster environment. This represents a critical threat to database infrastructure as it allows attackers to gain complete administrative control over the cluster operations, potentially leading to data exfiltration, service disruption, and unauthorized modifications to database contents. The requirement for human interaction from someone other than the attacker indicates that the attack may involve social engineering components or require specific operational conditions that could be exploited through insider threats or compromised credentials.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including enhanced network segmentation to isolate MySQL Cluster communications from general network traffic, deployment of network access controls to restrict physical access to cluster hardware, and implementation of robust monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and follows attack patterns consistent with the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and lateral movement techniques. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing zero trust network access principles, regular security assessments, and comprehensive incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts. Regular updates and patches should be prioritized to address this vulnerability, as the affected versions represent multiple release lines that require coordinated remediation efforts across different system components.