CVE-2022-21358 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE • 01/19/2022
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Server: Security: Encryption). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.27 and prior. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise MySQL Server. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of MySQL Server. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 6.5 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-21358 resides within Oracle MySQL Server's encryption component, specifically affecting versions 8.0.27 and earlier. This issue represents a critical availability risk that stems from improper handling of encryption-related operations within the database server. The flaw manifests as a denial of service condition that can be triggered by attackers with minimal privileges and network access, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where database availability is paramount. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage common network protocols to initiate malicious payloads without requiring advanced technical skills or extensive reconnaissance.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves a flaw in how MySQL Server processes certain encryption operations, leading to potential system instability and complete service disruption. When exploited, the vulnerability causes the MySQL Server to either hang indefinitely or crash repeatedly, effectively rendering the database service unavailable to legitimate users and applications. This behavior aligns with the CVSS 3.1 scoring system which assigns a base score of 6.5, reflecting the high availability impact and the relatively low attack complexity required to exploit the issue. The vulnerability's attack vector is classified as network-based, meaning that malicious actors can target the service from remote locations without requiring physical access or elevated privileges beyond basic network connectivity.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to database availability and business continuity, particularly in environments where MySQL serves as a critical backend component for applications and services. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as the repeated crashes or hangs can lead to cascading failures in dependent systems that rely on database connectivity. Organizations running affected MySQL versions face potential data unavailability, service degradation, and increased operational overhead during incident response and recovery activities. The low privilege requirement means that even unauthenticated attackers can potentially disrupt database services, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for publicly accessible database instances.
Security professionals should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability through official Oracle patches and updates, as the affected versions represent a substantial risk to operational stability. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive testing of patches in staging environments before production deployment to ensure compatibility with existing database configurations and applications. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of MySQL services to untrusted networks, while monitoring for signs of exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect critical database infrastructure from availability-based attacks that can severely impact business operations and service delivery.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which covers "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption," and relates to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for "Endpoint Denial of Service," highlighting the broader threat landscape where database systems face targeted availability attacks. The CVSS vector analysis reveals the specific risk profile with network accessibility, low attack complexity, and high availability impact, making this a critical concern for database administrators and cybersecurity teams responsible for protecting enterprise data infrastructure.