CVE-2024-20964 is a vulnerability in Oracle's MySQL Server affecting versions 8.0.35 and earlier, as well as 8.2.0 and earlier. The flaw resides in the server's privilege and security handling components, allowing a low privileged attacker with network access via multiple protocols to trigger a denial of service condition. Specifically, the attacker can cause the MySQL Server to hang or crash repeatedly, resulting in a complete denial of service. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-400, indicating a resource exhaustion or similar DoS condition. Exploitation does not require user interaction but does require network access and low privilege, with a high attack complexity. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3, reflecting medium severity focused solely on availability impact, with no confidentiality or integrity loss. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability affects a broad range of MySQL Server deployments due to the widespread use of the affected versions. The lack of patches at the time of reporting necessitates proactive mitigation strategies to reduce exposure. The vulnerability's exploitation could disrupt database availability, impacting dependent applications and services.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-20964 is the potential for denial of service against MySQL Server instances. This can lead to downtime of critical database services supporting web applications, internal business systems, and public-facing services. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and e-commerce that rely heavily on MySQL for data storage and transaction processing may experience operational disruptions, loss of productivity, and potential reputational damage. Since the vulnerability does not allow data theft or modification, the risk is confined to availability. However, repeated or prolonged outages could indirectly affect data integrity through interrupted transactions or backups. The difficulty of exploitation reduces the likelihood of widespread attacks but does not eliminate targeted attempts, especially against high-value or exposed MySQL deployments. European entities with remote or cloud-based MySQL servers accessible over the network are particularly at risk. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for mitigation before active exploitation occurs.

1. Monitor Oracle’s official channels for patches addressing CVE-2024-20964 and apply them promptly once released. 2. Restrict network access to MySQL Server instances by implementing strict firewall rules and network segmentation, limiting exposure to trusted hosts and internal networks only. 3. Disable or restrict unnecessary MySQL protocols and services that could be exploited to reduce the attack surface. 4. Implement resource limits and query throttling on MySQL to mitigate potential resource exhaustion scenarios. 5. Continuously monitor MySQL server logs and performance metrics for signs of hangs, crashes, or abnormal behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 6. Employ intrusion detection systems (IDS) and anomaly detection tools tuned to detect unusual MySQL traffic patterns. 7. Ensure that MySQL user privileges follow the principle of least privilege to minimize potential attack vectors. 8. Consider deploying high availability and failover mechanisms to reduce service disruption impact in case of a DoS event. 9. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on MySQL server exposure and resilience against DoS attacks. 10. Educate system administrators and security teams about this vulnerability and the importance of timely patching and network controls.