CVE-2023-22104 - A Critical Vulnerability in MySQL Server 8..32 and Prior Potentially Leading to Complete DoS Attacks

A vulnerability has been recently discovered in the MySQL Server product from Oracle MySQL, specifically targeting the InnoDB component. The supported versions affected include 8..32 and previous releases. This highly exploitable vulnerability can grant a high privileged attacker network access via multiple protocols to compromise the MySQL Server. By exploiting this flaw, an attacker can gain unauthorized control to cause a hang or repeatedly crash the MySQL Server, resulting in a complete Denial of Service (DoS) attack.

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) gives this vulnerability a base score of 4.9, which indicates a relatively high impact related to availability. Its CVSS Vector is as follows: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Code Snippet

The vulnerability in the InnoDB component of MySQL Server 8..32 and prior stems from an issue in the way it processes certain database queries, causing the server to crash. Below is a sample code snippet highlighting the vulnerability:

// Vulnerable InnoDB code

// Some code for processing database query

if (some_condition) {
  // Trigger server crash or hang
  mysql_crash_or_hang();
} else {
  // Normal query processing
}

// Rest of the code

Exploit Details

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs to be highly privileged and have network access to MySQL Server via multiple protocols. The attacker can then craft a specific database query that triggers the vulnerability in the InnoDB component, subsequently causing the server to crash or hang. Repeated instances of this attack can lead to a complete DoS situation, disrupting service for all users relying on the MySQL Server.

Mitigation

Oracle has released a new patch addressing this vulnerability. Users are advised to update their MySQL Server to the latest version to mitigate possible exploitation of this vulnerability.

Original References

1. CVE Details: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-22104
2. NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-22104
3. Oracle Security Alert: https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/alert-cve-2023-22104.html
4. MySQL Server Download (latest version): https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/

Conclusion

As demonstrated, the vulnerability (CVE-2023-22104) poses a significant risk to the MySQL Server versions 8..32 and prior, with the potential of causing complete DoS attacks. Ensuring the security of your MySQL Server is critical, especially when handling sensitive information. By keeping your software up to date, following security best practices, and monitoring for vulnerabilities, you can protect your organization from potential threats and ensure the continued availability of your MySQL Server.

Timeline

Published on: 10/17/2023 22:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 10/18/2023 18:16:00 UTC