CVE-2022-21314 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-2022-21314 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 vulnerability resides within the Cluster: General component of the MySQL Cluster product, which serves as the foundational architecture for distributed database operations. The flaw specifically targets the communication protocols and network-level security mechanisms that govern how cluster nodes interact with each other and with external systems. The vulnerability's classification as difficult to exploit indicates that while it requires specific conditions and prerequisites, the potential impact is severe enough to warrant immediate attention from security professionals. The attack vector requires an attacker to have access to the physical communication segment connected to the hardware executing the MySQL Cluster, which limits the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk entirely.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient security controls within the cluster's communication layer, allowing an attacker with high privileged access to the physical network segment to potentially compromise the entire MySQL Cluster infrastructure. This weakness manifests when legitimate cluster communication is intercepted or manipulated, enabling unauthorized access to cluster management functions and data operations. The vulnerability's CVSS 3.1 score of 6.3 reflects the balance between the attack complexity and the potential impact, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts. The attack requires human interaction from individuals other than the attacker, suggesting that the exploitation may involve social engineering elements or require specific user actions that could be initiated by the attacker through various means. This human interaction component adds another layer of complexity to the threat model, as it requires not only network-level access but also some form of user involvement that could be manipulated or coerced.
The operational impact of successful exploitation of CVE-2022-21314 can be catastrophic for organizations relying on MySQL Cluster for critical data operations. A successful compromise would result in complete takeover of the MySQL Cluster, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive data, modify database contents, disrupt services, or even use the compromised cluster as a pivot point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly threatens organizations with distributed database architectures where cluster nodes are interconnected through shared physical networks. The availability impact is significant as attackers could potentially disrupt cluster operations through various means including denial-of-service conditions or by manipulating cluster coordination protocols. The integrity impact is equally concerning as attackers could modify database records, alter cluster configuration settings, or corrupt data structures that maintain the consistency and reliability of the distributed database system. The confidentiality impact extends beyond just data access to include potential exposure of cluster management credentials, internal network topology information, and other sensitive operational details that could be leveraged for further attacks.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate MySQL Cluster communications from general network traffic, deployment of network intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious cluster communication patterns, and regular security assessments of physical network access controls. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-310 (Cryptographic Issues) and CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) categories, indicating weaknesses in both cryptographic implementations and access control mechanisms. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving network sniffing, credential access, and privilege escalation through network-level attacks. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to supported versions of MySQL Cluster that have addressed this vulnerability, implement robust network access controls, and establish monitoring procedures specifically designed to detect anomalous cluster communication patterns. Additionally, security teams should conduct regular penetration testing focused on cluster network interfaces and implement comprehensive incident response procedures that account for potential cluster takeover scenarios. The vulnerability's requirement for human interaction suggests that social engineering training and awareness programs should be enhanced to prevent unauthorized users from inadvertently facilitating exploitation attempts.