CVE-2023-22084 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: InnoDB). Supported versions that are affected are 5.7.43 and prior, 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 • 01/29/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-22084 resides within the InnoDB storage engine component of Oracle MySQL server implementations. This flaw affects multiple version ranges including MySQL 5.7.43 and earlier versions, MySQL 8.0.34 and prior releases, and MySQL 8.1.0. The vulnerability operates at a fundamental level within the database engine's transaction processing and storage management mechanisms, specifically targeting the InnoDB subsystem that handles data storage and retrieval operations. The affected versions represent a significant portion of the MySQL user base, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for database administrators and security professionals managing enterprise database environments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of certain transaction states and memory management within the InnoDB storage engine. Attackers with high privileged access and network connectivity can exploit this weakness to trigger specific sequences of database operations that cause the MySQL server process to enter an unstable state. The flaw manifests as a condition where the server becomes unresponsive or experiences repeated crashes, effectively rendering the database service unavailable to legitimate users. This behavior occurs through manipulation of transactional data structures and memory allocation patterns that are processed by the InnoDB engine during concurrent database operations. The vulnerability's exploitability requires an attacker to possess elevated privileges, typically administrative or database user accounts with sufficient access rights to execute commands against the MySQL server.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-22084 presents a substantial availability threat to MySQL server deployments across various organizational environments. Successful exploitation results in complete denial of service conditions where database applications and services become inaccessible to authorized users and applications relying on the affected MySQL instances. This disruption can cascade through entire application ecosystems, particularly affecting web applications, enterprise systems, and any software that depends on database connectivity for normal operation. The vulnerability's CVSS base score of 4.9 indicates a moderate to high severity rating, with the availability impact component carrying the highest weight. Organizations experiencing this vulnerability may face extended downtime periods, service degradation, and potential data loss scenarios if database recovery procedures are not properly implemented. The complete denial of service characteristic makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in production environments where database availability is critical for business operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-22084 should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL server installations to the latest available versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Database administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of MySQL servers to untrusted networks while maintaining proper authentication and authorization mechanisms for database access. Monitoring and logging configurations should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of database activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses improper access to memory locations and improper handling of memory management, while also relating to ATT&CK technique T1499 which covers network denial of service attacks. Organizations should conduct thorough testing of patched environments before deployment to ensure compatibility with existing database applications and services, and maintain regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potential weaknesses in their database infrastructure. Network-based intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for suspicious database traffic patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.