CVE-2022-21331 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-2022-21331 represents a significant security weakness 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 flaw 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 and prerequisites, the potential impact on affected systems remains concerning. The CVSS 3.1 scoring system assigns a base score of 2.9, reflecting the relatively low to moderate severity level but with implications for both confidentiality and availability aspects of the targeted system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authentication mechanisms within the MySQL Cluster's communication protocols. Attackers who gain physical access to the network segment where MySQL Cluster components operate can potentially exploit this weakness to access restricted data sets. The requirement for high privileged access to the physical communication segment indicates that the vulnerability cannot be exploited remotely through traditional network means, but rather requires an attacker to be physically present on the network infrastructure. This limitation somewhat reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate the threat, particularly in environments where physical security controls may be inadequate. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft to include partial denial of service conditions that can disrupt cluster operations and compromise system availability.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-21331 manifests in two primary areas: unauthorized data access and partial service disruption. Successful exploitation allows attackers to read sensitive data from a subset of MySQL Cluster accessible information, potentially exposing confidential database contents to unauthorized parties. The partial denial of service component means that attackers can disrupt cluster operations without completely shutting down the system, creating ongoing operational challenges for database administrators. This vulnerability specifically affects the communication layer between cluster nodes, which is critical for maintaining data consistency and system reliability. The requirement for human interaction beyond the initial attacker access suggests that additional social engineering or insider threat components may be necessary to fully exploit the vulnerability, making it more difficult to execute but still potentially dangerous in targeted environments.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) categories, reflecting the fundamental access control weaknesses that enable unauthorized data access. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK techniques such as T1046 (Network Service Scanning) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) as attackers would need to identify and exploit network communication channels to gain access to the cluster infrastructure. Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including network segmentation to isolate cluster communications, enhanced physical security controls to prevent unauthorized access to network segments, and regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation vectors. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing proper access control policies to prevent unauthorized privileged access to cluster components.
Mitigation efforts should focus on strengthening network perimeter defenses and implementing robust physical security measures around database infrastructure. Organizations must ensure that MySQL Cluster installations are properly isolated within secure network segments and that access controls are strictly enforced at both network and application levels. Regular security audits should verify that only authorized personnel have access to the physical network infrastructure where cluster components operate. Additionally, implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous communication patterns between cluster nodes can help identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as requiring human interaction suggests that employee security awareness training should include recognition of potential social engineering attacks that could facilitate physical access to network segments. System administrators should also consider implementing additional logging and monitoring capabilities to track access to cluster components and detect unauthorized activities. The CVSS vector indicates that while the attack complexity is high, the potential impact on system availability and data confidentiality makes this vulnerability worthy of immediate attention and remediation efforts across affected installations.