CVE-2022-21322 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 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-2022-21322 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle MySQL Cluster's implementation, specifically affecting versions 8.0.27 and earlier. 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's classification as difficult to exploit indicates that while it requires specific conditions to be leveraged successfully, the potential impact is severe enough to warrant immediate attention from security professionals. The attack vector requires an attacker to have physical access to the communication segment connected to the hardware hosting the MySQL Cluster, which typically represents a sophisticated threat scenario involving insider access or co-location compromises.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient security controls within the cluster communication protocols, allowing an attacker with high privileges and physical access to the network infrastructure to execute compromising actions against the MySQL Cluster. The CVSS score of 6.3 reflects the balanced severity across confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, indicating that successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise. The attack requires human interaction from someone other than the attacker, suggesting that social engineering or privilege escalation techniques might be necessary to achieve the initial access point before leveraging this specific vulnerability. This aspect places the vulnerability in the context of supply chain or insider threat scenarios where legitimate users with appropriate access levels could be manipulated or compromised.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise to encompass complete system takeover capabilities, which aligns with the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts assessed in the CVSS vector. Organizations running affected MySQL Cluster versions face potential exposure to unauthorized database access, data manipulation, and service disruption that could affect critical business operations. The requirement for physical access to the communication segment limits the attack surface compared to remotely exploitable vulnerabilities, but it does not eliminate the risk entirely, particularly in environments where physical security controls are inadequate. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of network segmentation and physical access controls in protecting critical database infrastructure.
Security mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust network segmentation to isolate MySQL Cluster communications from general network traffic, thereby reducing the attack surface for potential physical access exploits. Organizations should conduct comprehensive physical security assessments of database hosting environments to identify potential vulnerabilities in network access controls. Regular updates and patches should be implemented immediately upon availability, as the affected versions represent outdated software that lacks current security enhancements. The implementation of network monitoring solutions capable of detecting anomalous communication patterns within the cluster environment can provide early warning capabilities. Additionally, privilege management should be strictly enforced to minimize the potential impact of compromised accounts, aligning with principle of least privilege requirements. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to insufficient network protection and improper access control highlights the need for comprehensive security frameworks that address both logical and physical security domains. Organizations should also consider implementing additional layers of authentication and authorization beyond traditional database access controls to create defense-in-depth strategies against such sophisticated attack vectors.