CVE-2022-21321 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 unauthorized read access to a subset of MySQL Cluster accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of MySQL Cluster. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 2.9 (Confidentiality and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-21321 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle MySQL Cluster components that affects multiple version streams including 7.4.34 and earlier, 7.5.24 and earlier, 7.6.20 and earlier, and 8.0.27 and earlier. This issue resides within 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 on system security and data integrity remains concerning. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 2.9 reflects a low to medium severity rating, yet this assessment should not diminish the operational risks associated with the flaw.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authentication mechanisms within the MySQL Cluster communication protocols. Attackers with physical access to the communication segment where MySQL Cluster operates can potentially exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized read access to sensitive data subsets within the cluster. The requirement for human interaction beyond the initial attacker access point suggests that additional social engineering or operational compromise may be necessary to achieve full exploitation. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the category of indirect attack vectors that leverage physical access combined with network-level privileges.
From an operational perspective, the successful exploitation of CVE-2022-21321 can result in unauthorized data access and partial denial of service conditions that significantly impact database availability. The confidentiality impact rating of low suggests that attackers can access only a subset of available data rather than complete database contents, while the availability impact of low indicates partial service disruption rather than complete system failure. The attack vector assessment of AV:A (Adjacent network) combined with high attack complexity AC:H indicates that physical proximity to the network infrastructure is required, making this vulnerability less accessible than remote attacks but still concerning for environments with inadequate physical security controls. The privilege requirement of high PR:H suggests that attackers must already possess elevated network-level access to the physical segment, while the user interaction requirement of UI:R indicates that additional human involvement is necessary for successful exploitation.
Organizations should implement comprehensive network segmentation strategies to isolate MySQL Cluster environments from general network traffic and limit physical access to critical infrastructure components. The vulnerability's characteristics align with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-310 (Cryptographic Issues) categories, indicating fundamental flaws in access control mechanisms and potentially weak cryptographic implementations within the cluster communications. Security measures should include implementing robust network access controls, regular vulnerability assessments, and monitoring for unauthorized network access attempts. The ATT&CK framework classification would likely place this vulnerability within the credential access and defense evasion categories, as attackers may attempt to leverage compromised physical access to establish persistent network presence and evade detection mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network intrusion detection systems and regular security audits to identify potential exploitation attempts and maintain compliance with industry standards including NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 requirements for database security management.