CVE-2024-20962 is a vulnerability in the Oracle MySQL Server's Optimizer component affecting versions 8.0.35 and earlier, as well as 8.2.0 and earlier. The flaw allows an attacker with low privileges and network access via multiple protocols to cause the MySQL Server to hang or crash repeatedly, resulting in a complete denial of service (DoS). The vulnerability is classified under CWE-400, which relates to uncontrolled resource consumption leading to service disruption. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5, reflecting a medium severity primarily due to its impact on availability (A:H), with no impact on confidentiality or integrity. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), low privileges (PR:L), and no user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component. Although no exploits have been reported in the wild yet, the ease of exploitation and potential for service disruption make this a significant concern for organizations running MySQL Server in production environments. The vulnerability could be triggered remotely by sending crafted requests that exploit the optimizer's handling of queries or commands, causing resource exhaustion or deadlocks that hang or crash the server process. This can lead to downtime, affecting applications and services dependent on the database. Oracle has not yet published patches at the time of this report, so organizations should monitor for updates and apply them promptly once available.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-20962 is on the availability of MySQL Server instances, which are widely used in enterprise applications, web services, and cloud environments. A successful exploitation can cause repeated server crashes or hangs, leading to service outages, disruption of business operations, and potential loss of revenue or customer trust. Industries relying heavily on database availability, such as finance, healthcare, e-commerce, and public services, could experience significant operational challenges. The vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, so data breaches or unauthorized data modifications are not a direct concern. However, the resulting downtime could indirectly affect compliance with service-level agreements (SLAs) and regulatory requirements for availability and operational resilience. The ease of exploitation by low-privileged attackers with network access increases the risk, especially in environments where MySQL servers are exposed or insufficiently segmented. European organizations with complex IT infrastructures and multi-protocol access to MySQL servers are particularly at risk of disruption.

1. Monitor Oracle's official channels closely for the release of security patches addressing CVE-2024-20962 and apply them immediately upon availability. 2. Restrict network access to MySQL Server instances by implementing strict firewall rules and network segmentation, allowing only trusted hosts and services to connect. 3. Disable or limit exposure of MySQL Server protocols that are not required, reducing the attack surface. 4. Implement robust monitoring and alerting on MySQL server performance and availability metrics to detect early signs of hangs or crashes. 5. Employ rate limiting or connection throttling mechanisms to mitigate potential resource exhaustion attacks. 6. Review and enforce least privilege principles for MySQL user accounts to minimize the impact of compromised credentials. 7. Consider deploying MySQL servers behind application-layer proxies or VPNs to add an additional layer of access control. 8. Conduct regular backups and have tested recovery procedures to minimize downtime impact in case of successful exploitation. 9. Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability to ensure rapid incident response if exploitation attempts are detected.