CVE-2023-22070 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Server: Optimizer). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.34 and prior and 8.1.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows high 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 4.9 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-22070 resides within the MySQL Server optimizer component of Oracle MySQL database systems. This flaw affects specific versions including all releases up to and including 8.0.34, as well as version 8.1.0. The vulnerability operates at the server level and represents a significant concern for database administrators due to its potential to disrupt critical database operations. The affected component specifically handles query optimization processes that are fundamental to database performance and functionality.
This vulnerability manifests as an easily exploitable flaw that requires only a high privileged attacker with network access through multiple protocols to successfully compromise the target system. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it can be executed across various network protocols, making the attack surface broader and more accessible to potential adversaries. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that minimal technical expertise is required to leverage this weakness, which significantly increases the risk to organizations relying on affected MySQL versions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and directly affects the availability of MySQL Server services. Successful exploitation results in unauthorized ability to cause either a complete hang or frequently repeatable crashes of the MySQL Server instance. This behavior translates directly into a complete denial of service condition where database services become unavailable to legitimate users and applications. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.9 reflects the high availability impact, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H indicating that network-based attacks with low complexity and high privilege requirements can cause high availability impact.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses "Improper Access Control" and potentially relates to CWE-476 which deals with "NULL Pointer Dereference" as the optimizer component may fail during specific query processing scenarios. The attack pattern follows ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for "Endpoint Denial of Service" where attackers target database services to disrupt availability. Organizations using affected MySQL versions face critical operational risks including potential data unavailability, service disruption, and business continuity impacts.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate patching of affected MySQL Server installations to the latest supported versions. Database administrators should prioritize updating their systems and verify that all instances running vulnerable versions are patched. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to minimize the attack surface and ensure that only authorized personnel have high privileged access to database systems. Additionally, monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct thorough testing of patches in non-production environments before deployment to ensure compatibility with existing database configurations and applications.