CVE-2022-21288 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-2022-21288 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle MySQL Cluster components 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 vulnerability resides within the Cluster: General component of the MySQL Cluster product, which serves as the foundational architecture for distributed database operations. The affected versions indicate a widespread impact across the MySQL Cluster ecosystem, particularly concerning the cluster's communication and data integrity mechanisms. The vulnerability's classification as difficult to exploit suggests that while the attack vector is not trivial, it remains a serious concern for organizations relying on MySQL Cluster deployments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient security controls within the physical communication segment that connects to the MySQL Cluster hardware infrastructure. Attackers with physical access to the network segment where MySQL Cluster operates can potentially exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized control over the entire cluster system. The vulnerability requires high privileged access to the physical communication segment, indicating that attackers must already have significant network-level privileges or physical access to the infrastructure. The CVSS score of 6.3 reflects the severity of potential impacts including complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected MySQL Cluster systems.
The operational impact of successful exploitation can result in complete takeover of the MySQL Cluster environment, which represents a catastrophic outcome for database security. This vulnerability essentially allows attackers to gain full administrative control over the cluster, potentially enabling them to access sensitive data, modify database contents, disrupt services, and establish persistent access points within the organization's infrastructure. The requirement for human interaction from someone other than the attacker suggests that social engineering or insider threat components may be involved in successful exploitation scenarios, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where physical security controls are not adequately maintained.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including strengthening physical security controls around MySQL Cluster hardware, implementing network segmentation to isolate cluster communication, and ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to the physical communication segments. The vulnerability's attack vector through physical network access aligns with ATT&CK framework techniques related to physical access and network infiltration. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unusual communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The CWE classification for this vulnerability would likely relate to insufficient physical security controls and inadequate network segmentation, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security measures that address both digital and physical security domains to prevent unauthorized access to critical database infrastructure components.
The broader implications of this vulnerability extend beyond immediate cluster compromise to encompass potential data breaches, service disruptions, and compliance violations that organizations may face. Given that MySQL Cluster is often deployed in mission-critical applications, the potential for cascading failures and extended impact on business operations makes this vulnerability particularly concerning. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their MySQL Cluster deployments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities while establishing robust monitoring and incident response procedures to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts.