CVE-2023-22115 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Server: DML). 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 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-2023-22115 represents a significant availability threat within Oracle MySQL Server versions 8.0.33 and earlier. This flaw exists within the Server: DML component, which handles data manipulation language operations including select, insert, update, and delete statements. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with high privileges and network access can leverage this weakness to compromise the target MySQL server. The CVSS base score of 4.9 reflects the moderate to high severity impact on system availability, with the attack vector being network-based and requiring only low complexity to exploit. The vulnerability's impact extends to complete denial of service conditions where the MySQL server can either hang indefinitely or experience frequently repeatable crashes, effectively rendering the database service unavailable to legitimate users and applications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of specific DML operations within the MySQL server's processing pipeline. When an attacker with elevated privileges executes carefully crafted database operations, the server's response mechanism becomes susceptible to conditions that trigger system instability. The vulnerability's design flaw likely involves inadequate input validation or resource management during the processing of complex data manipulation queries. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability would fall under CWE-121, which deals with stack-based buffer overflow conditions, or potentially CWE-122, heap-based buffer overflow conditions, though the specific implementation details are not fully disclosed in the CVE description. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it requires only high privilege levels rather than administrative access, suggesting that authenticated users with sufficient database permissions could exploit this weakness.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2023-22115 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise business continuity and data availability for organizations relying on MySQL databases. The complete denial of service condition means that database applications dependent on the affected MySQL server will experience extended downtime, potentially affecting critical business processes, user access to applications, and overall system reliability. The vulnerability's susceptibility to frequently repeatable crashes indicates that even a single successful exploit can lead to prolonged service interruptions, as the server may require manual intervention to recover from the crash state. Organizations using affected MySQL versions face the risk of cascading failures if their applications are not designed with proper error handling and failover mechanisms, particularly in environments where database availability is mission-critical for business operations.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-22115 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to MySQL Server 8.0.34 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the DML processing vulnerability. Organizations should prioritize patching efforts, especially in production environments where the risk of exploitation is highest. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the attack surface by restricting network access to MySQL servers to only trusted sources. Additionally, monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in database activity that might indicate exploitation attempts, including monitoring for repeated connection failures or unusual query execution patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing database activity monitoring tools that can detect and alert on potentially malicious DML operations. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would likely map to T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and potentially T1566.001 for social engineering through network protocols, though the primary threat vector is the direct exploitation of the server's DML processing capabilities. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure they can quickly address and recover from potential denial of service conditions caused by this vulnerability.