CVE-2024-20969 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE • 01/17/2024
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Server: DDL). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.35 and prior and 8.2.0 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 as well as unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of MySQL Server accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 5.5 (Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-20969 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle MySQL Server's Data Definition Language (DDL) component, specifically affecting versions 8.0.35 and earlier, as well as 8.2.0 and prior releases. This vulnerability resides in the server's handling of DDL operations, which are fundamental database management functions used to define and modify database structures. The flaw manifests in the way MySQL processes certain DDL statements, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by attackers with elevated privileges. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that the attack vector requires minimal technical expertise to execute successfully, making it particularly concerning for database administrators and security professionals who must protect critical data infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and handling within the MySQL Server's DDL processing mechanism. When high-privileged attackers with network access attempt to execute specific DDL operations, the server's response becomes unpredictable, leading to potential system instability. The vulnerability's CVSS score of 5.5 reflects the balance between the attack complexity and the potential impact, with a high privilege requirement (PR:H) indicating that attackers must already possess elevated access levels within the system. The attack vector AV:N suggests that network-based exploitation is possible, while the lack of user interaction (UI:N) means that automated attacks can be executed without requiring user engagement. The complete denial of service condition represents a severe availability impact, as the vulnerability can cause the MySQL server to hang or repeatedly crash, effectively rendering database services unavailable to legitimate users and applications that depend on the database for their operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-20969 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass data integrity concerns that could compromise the reliability of database operations. Successful exploitation allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to perform update, insert, or delete operations on database content, potentially leading to data corruption or unauthorized modifications that could affect business-critical applications. This integrity impact, combined with the availability threat, creates a dual-risk scenario where database systems face both operational disruption and potential data compromise. The vulnerability's presence in multiple MySQL versions indicates a systemic issue within the DDL processing framework that requires immediate attention from database administrators responsible for maintaining secure and reliable database environments. Organizations running affected MySQL versions must prioritize patch management and security assessments to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.
Security mitigations for CVE-2024-20969 should focus on immediate patch deployment and enhanced access controls to limit the attack surface. Database administrators should prioritize upgrading to patched versions of MySQL Server, as Oracle typically releases security updates to address such vulnerabilities. Network segmentation and firewall rules can help limit access to database servers, reducing the risk of exploitation by unauthorized network-based attackers. Additionally, implementing comprehensive monitoring and logging of DDL operations can help detect anomalous activities that might indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under the T1078 technique for Valid Accounts, as the attack requires high-privileged access, and potentially T1499 for Endpoint Denial of Service, given the availability impact. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on suspicious DDL operations, providing an additional layer of defense against exploitation attempts. The CWE classification for this vulnerability would likely fall under CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices, or CWE-20, which covers improper input validation, reflecting the underlying issue with how the MySQL server processes DDL statements and validates input parameters.