CVE-2022-21315 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-2022-21315 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle MySQL Cluster components, specifically affecting versions through 7.4.34, 7.5.24, 7.6.20, and 8.0.27. This weakness resides in the Cluster: General component of the MySQL Cluster product, which serves as the foundational architecture for distributed database operations. The vulnerability classification as difficult to exploit indicates that while the attack vector requires specific conditions, the potential impact is severe enough to warrant immediate attention from security professionals. The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.3 reflects the balanced nature of this threat, with high impacts across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains, making it a critical concern for organizations relying on MySQL Cluster deployments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient security controls within the MySQL Cluster's communication protocols, particularly when operating in environments where attackers have physical access to the network segment connecting to the hardware infrastructure. This attack scenario requires an attacker with high privileges who can access the physical communication segment, indicating that the threat model involves individuals with elevated access rights who can manipulate network traffic. The requirement for human interaction beyond the initial attacker access point suggests that social engineering or insider threat components may be necessary to achieve successful exploitation, though the core vulnerability lies in the cluster's communication handling mechanisms. The attack vector AV:A indicates that the vulnerability is accessible via adjacent network access, meaning attackers must be within the same network segment as the target system to leverage this weakness effectively.
The operational impact of successfully exploiting CVE-2022-21315 can be catastrophic for organizations utilizing MySQL Cluster deployments, as the vulnerability can lead to complete takeover of the affected cluster system. This compromise would allow unauthorized parties to gain full control over database operations, potentially resulting in data theft, integrity corruption, and service disruption. The high impact scores across all three core security principles demonstrate that an attacker could simultaneously compromise confidentiality by accessing sensitive data, integrity by modifying database contents, and availability by disrupting cluster operations. Organizations may experience significant downtime, regulatory compliance violations, and financial losses if this vulnerability is exploited, particularly in environments where MySQL Cluster serves as a critical backend infrastructure component for business operations.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions of MySQL Cluster, as recommended by Oracle's security advisories, and conducting thorough network segmentation to limit physical access to cluster hardware. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while access controls should be strictly enforced to prevent unauthorized physical access to network segments. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to insufficient communication security and inadequate access controls aligns with established attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework, particularly within the privilege escalation and credential access domains. Security teams should also consider implementing additional layers of protection such as intrusion detection systems, network access controls, and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in their MySQL Cluster implementations.