CVE-2023-22113 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Server: Security: Encryption). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.33 and prior. 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 read access to a subset of MySQL Server accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 2.7 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-22113 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle MySQL Server's encryption subsystem, specifically affecting versions 8.0.33 and earlier. This issue resides within the Server: Security: Encryption component, making it particularly concerning for organizations relying on MySQL for critical data storage and processing. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal technical expertise can potentially leverage this weakness, while the requirement for high privileged access suggests that the attack vector likely involves an authenticated user with elevated privileges. The network-based access via multiple protocols creates a broad attack surface that could be exploited across various network environments.
The technical flaw manifests as a weakness in how MySQL Server handles encryption-related operations, potentially allowing an attacker with sufficient privileges to bypass normal access controls and gain unauthorized read access to specific subsets of database data. This particular vulnerability operates at the confidentiality level, as indicated by the CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 2.7, where the primary impact is unauthorized data disclosure rather than data modification or system compromise. The CVSS vector analysis reveals that the attack requires network access with high privileges, suggesting that the vulnerability may involve a specific encryption context or session management issue that can be exploited by an authenticated user who has already established a connection to the database server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it could enable attackers to extract sensitive information from databases that should remain protected. Organizations using affected MySQL versions face potential data breaches where unauthorized parties might access confidential records, financial data, personal information, or proprietary business data. The limited scope of data access, as indicated by "subset of MySQL Server accessible data," suggests that while the vulnerability is concerning, it may not provide complete database access, though the potential for data exfiltration remains significant. This weakness particularly affects environments where MySQL serves as a primary database engine for applications handling sensitive data, including web applications, enterprise systems, and data processing platforms.
Organizations should immediately prioritize patching their MySQL Server installations to address this vulnerability, as the CVSS score indicates a moderate risk level that could escalate if exploited by determined attackers. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched versions in staging environments before deployment to production systems. Additionally, security teams should implement network segmentation and access control measures to limit the potential impact of credential compromise, as the vulnerability requires high privileged access to exploit. This aligns with cybersecurity frameworks such as the CWE taxonomy for encryption weaknesses and ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and data extraction. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring and anomaly detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in their database infrastructure. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies for database environments, particularly those handling sensitive information.