CVE-2022-21326 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-2022-21326 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle MySQL Cluster implementations that affects multiple version branches 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, indicating it impacts core clustering functionality rather than specific modules. The CVSS score of 6.3 reflects a medium to high severity classification, with all three impact vectors - confidentiality, integrity, and availability - rated as high, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of potential compromise. The attack vector requires local network access, specifically physical communication segment access to the hardware executing the MySQL Cluster, suggesting attackers must be positioned within the same network segment as the target infrastructure. This limitation reduces the attack surface compared to remotely exploitable vulnerabilities but still presents a serious threat in environments where network segmentation is insufficient or compromised.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authentication mechanisms within the MySQL Cluster communication protocols. Attackers with high privileged access to the physical communication segment can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized control over the MySQL Cluster operations. The requirement for human interaction indicates that while the technical exploitation may be straightforward, additional social engineering or operational factors are necessary for successful compromise, potentially involving legitimate users who might inadvertently facilitate access. This human factor component aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers legitimate credentials used for persistence and privilege escalation. The vulnerability's classification under CWE 284 (Improper Access Control) demonstrates the fundamental flaw in authorization mechanisms that allows unauthorized access to cluster management functions.
The operational impact of successful exploitation can be catastrophic for database infrastructure security, potentially leading to complete takeover of the MySQL Cluster environment. This compromise would enable attackers to manipulate database contents, modify access controls, extract sensitive data, and disrupt service availability across the entire cluster. The high confidentiality impact suggests that attackers could access and exfiltrate sensitive database information, while the integrity impact indicates they could modify or corrupt database records. The availability impact means that attackers could potentially cause service disruption or denial of service conditions that would affect business operations. Organizations relying on MySQL Cluster for critical data operations face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where network security controls are inadequate or where physical access to network segments cannot be properly controlled.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-21326 should focus on strengthening network security boundaries and implementing robust access controls. Organizations must ensure proper network segmentation to prevent unauthorized physical access to network segments hosting MySQL Cluster components. Network access control lists and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict communication to only authorized systems and users. Regular security audits should verify that physical access controls are properly enforced and that network infrastructure is adequately protected. System administrators should apply the latest security patches and updates provided by Oracle to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing network monitoring solutions can help detect unauthorized access attempts or unusual communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include reviewing and strengthening authentication mechanisms, implementing multi-factor authentication for cluster management interfaces, and conducting regular security training for personnel who interact with cluster management systems. These measures align with ATT&CK tactics T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing) by addressing both credential security and social engineering risks that could facilitate exploitation of this vulnerability.