A critical vulnerability, titled CVE-2023-52970, has been discovered in MariaDB Server versions 10.4 through 10.5.*, 10.6 through 10.6.*, 10.7 through 10.11.*, 11. through 11..*, and 11.1 through 11.4.*. The vulnerability can lead to server crashes when processing certain queries. This post will explain the vulnerability in detail, provide a code snippet of the affected code, link to original references, and discuss the exploit details.

Vulnerability Details

The MariaDB Server crash occurs in the Item_direct_view_ref::derived_field_transformer_for_where function when it processes specific SQL queries related to the WHERE clause. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service (DoS) on the affected MariaDB Server by sending a crafted SQL query, thereby disrupting its regular operations.

Code Snippet

The problematic code snippet is located in the Item_direct_view_ref::derived_field_transformer_for_where function in the sql_select.cc file of MariaDB Server's source code. Below is a simplified version of the affected code:

bool Item_direct_view_ref::derived_field_transformer_for_where(THD *thd, uchar *arg)
{
  if (mark_as_processed(thd, arg))
    return true;

  item = item->derived_field_transformer_for_where(thd, arg);
  return item == NULL;
}

Original References

- Official MariaDB Security Advisory: CVE-2023-52970
- MariaDB Server Source Code: Item_direct_view_ref::derived_field_transformer_for_where (sql_select.cc)

Exploit Details

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to craft an SQL query that triggers the crash in the Item_direct_view_ref::derived_field_transformer_for_where function. The attacker must have the necessary privileges to execute the vulnerable query against the MariaDB Server.

The exploitation of this vulnerability could result in a denial of service (DoS) attack, causing the MariaDB Server to crash and become unavailable for regular operations. However, the vulnerability does not seem to allow arbitrary code execution or unauthorized access to sensitive data. Therefore, the primary risk associated with this vulnerability is to the availability of the affected MariaDB Server.

Mitigation

MariaDB has released patches for the affected versions to address this vulnerability. It is strongly recommended that users upgrade their MariaDB Server installations to the latest patched versions available. Users can find the relevant patches in the MariaDB Security Advisory linked above.

Conclusion

CVE-2023-52970 is a critical vulnerability affecting multiple versions of MariaDB Server. It is essential for users to be aware of this vulnerability, understand its implications, and apply the necessary patches to safeguard against any potential attacks exploiting this vulnerability. By upgrading to the latest patched versions, users can ensure the continued availability and security of their MariaDB Server installations.

Timeline

Published on: 03/08/2025 23:15:14 UTC
Last modified on: 03/09/2025 21:51:34 UTC