CVE-2025-21494 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL. This vulnerability allows high-privileged attackers, who have logon access to the infrastructure where MySQL Server executes, to compromise the MySQL Server. The vulnerability can lead to a denial of service (DoS), causing unauthorized ability to hang or crash the server frequently. The CVSS 3.1 Base Score for this vulnerability is 4.1, indicating a medium level of risk.
Given the potential impact of this vulnerability, organizations are urged to prioritize remediation efforts. The affected versions of MySQL Server include 8.0.39 and prior, 8.4.2 and prior, and 9.0.1 and prior. The difficulty of exploitation is classified as high, emphasizing the need for caution and timely action.
The vulnerability was published on January 21, 2025, and has been classified as modified since its initial disclosure. Organizations utilizing vulnerable versions of MySQL Server should assess their exposure and implement necessary patches.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to mitigate risk and ensure the stability of their MySQL Server environments.
Vulnerability Details
This vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where MySQL Server executes 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.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 4.1 (Availability impacts) with the following vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. The affected product is Oracle MySQL Server, and the vulnerable versions include 8.0.39 and prior, 8.4.2 and prior, and 9.0.1 and prior.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of security privileges in the MySQL Server. The attack vector is local, requiring an attacker to have access to the system where MySQL Server is running. The attack complexity is rated as high, meaning that exploiting this vulnerability is not straightforward and requires specific conditions to be met.
The privileges required for exploitation are high, indicating that an attacker must possess significant access rights. User interaction is not required, which further increases the risk as it allows attackers to exploit the vulnerability without any direct involvement from users.
The impact of a successful exploit would primarily affect availability, potentially leading to denial of service conditions that could interrupt MySQL Server functionality.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes potential downtime and loss of service continuity due to unauthorized crashes of the MySQL Server. This could have significant operational impacts, especially for businesses reliant on database availability for transaction processing and application performance.
The blast radius of this vulnerability could be extensive, affecting all applications that rely on the compromised MySQL Server. Organizations are encouraged to evaluate the severity of impact based on their specific use cases and criticality of the affected services.
Given the CVSS score and the nature of the vulnerability, organizations should address this in their priority patch cycle to mitigate risks and maintain operational integrity.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The affected versions of MySQL Server are 8.0.39 and prior, 8.4.2 and prior, and 9.0.1 and prior. Organizations should ensure they are running patched versions to avoid exposure.
Mitigation & Remediation
Oracle has provided patches for this vulnerability. Organizations should upgrade to the latest versions of MySQL Server as soon as possible. If immediate upgrading is not feasible, consider implementing workarounds such as restricting access to the MySQL Server environment and monitoring for unusual activity. For detailed guidance, organizations can refer to the penetration testing services to assess their security posture.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor logs for any indicators of unauthorized access or unusual behavior related to MySQL Server operations. Behavioral anomalies such as unexpected service crashes or performance degradation should also be tracked.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2025-21494 lies in its potential impact on operational continuity for organizations utilizing Oracle MySQL Server. Security teams should recognize this vulnerability as a reminder of the importance of maintaining an updated security posture and regularly applying patches to mitigate risks.
This vulnerability exemplifies the need for robust monitoring and incident response strategies to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider conducting regular assessments, such as application security assessments, to identify and remediate vulnerabilities in their MySQL Server deployments.
The trend represented by CVE-2025-21494 reinforces the necessity for proactive security measures in database management, highlighting that even complex vulnerabilities can lead to significant disruptions if left unaddressed.
Organizations should prioritize continuous improvement in their security programs and ensure they are adequately prepared to handle potential vulnerabilities in the future.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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