CVE-2022-21330 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 7.5.24 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-2022-21330 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle MySQL Cluster components that affects multiple version streams including 7.5.24 and earlier, 7.6.20 and earlier, and 8.0.27 and earlier releases. This weakness resides in the Cluster: General component of the MySQL Cluster product suite, 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 effectively, the potential impact when successfully exploited is severe enough to warrant immediate attention from security teams responsible for database infrastructure protection.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authentication mechanisms within the MySQL Cluster's communication protocols, particularly when operating in environments where attackers have physical access to network segments connected to the database servers. The CVSS score of 6.3 reflects a medium severity level but with high impact across all three core security principles: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Attackers requiring high privileged access to physical communication segments can potentially compromise the entire MySQL Cluster infrastructure, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where physical security controls may be inadequate or where attackers have already gained some level of access to the hardware infrastructure.
The operational impact of successful exploitation can be catastrophic for organizations relying on MySQL Cluster for critical data operations, as the vulnerability can lead to complete takeover of the database cluster. This means that an attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain full administrative control over the entire MySQL Cluster, potentially leading to data exfiltration, data corruption, service disruption, and complete system compromise. The requirement for human interaction from someone other than the attacker suggests that social engineering or insider threat vectors may be involved in the exploitation process, adding another layer of complexity to the threat landscape and making the vulnerability more challenging to defend against through traditional technical controls alone.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and maps to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and persistence within database environments. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Oracle, implementing network segmentation to isolate MySQL Cluster components, and establishing robust monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns on communication segments. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of physical security controls in database environments, as attackers with access to physical network segments can exploit logical security weaknesses more effectively. Additionally, implementing network access controls, regular security assessments, and maintaining updated security configurations can significantly reduce the risk exposure associated with this particular vulnerability.