CVE-2024-21197 is a vulnerability identified in Oracle MySQL Server's Information Schema component affecting multiple versions including 8.0.39 and earlier, 8.4.2 and earlier, and 9.0.1 and earlier. The flaw allows an attacker with high privileges and network access via multiple protocols to exploit the vulnerability to cause the MySQL Server to hang or crash repeatedly, resulting in a complete denial-of-service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity but solely impacts availability. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.9, reflecting a medium severity primarily due to the requirement of high privileges (PR:H) and no user interaction (UI:N). The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), and the scope remains unchanged (S:U). The vulnerability is considered easily exploitable given the low attack complexity (AC:L). No known exploits have been reported in the wild yet. The vulnerability affects core database services, which are critical for many enterprise applications, making availability disruptions potentially impactful. Oracle has published the vulnerability details but no patch links are currently provided, indicating that organizations must monitor for updates or apply workarounds to mitigate risk. The vulnerability’s exploitation could be leveraged by insiders or attackers who have already gained elevated privileges, emphasizing the importance of strict access controls and network segmentation.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-21197 is the potential for denial-of-service attacks against MySQL Server instances, which could disrupt critical business applications, data services, and customer-facing platforms relying on MySQL databases. This could lead to operational downtime, loss of productivity, and potential financial losses. Since the vulnerability requires high privileges, the risk is elevated in environments where privilege escalation or insider threats exist. Industries such as finance, telecommunications, e-commerce, and public sector entities that rely heavily on MySQL for backend data management are particularly vulnerable. Disruptions could affect service availability and damage organizational reputation. Additionally, organizations with distributed MySQL deployments or cloud-hosted MySQL services may experience cascading effects if multiple nodes are impacted. The lack of confidentiality or integrity impact reduces the risk of data breaches but does not diminish the operational risks associated with service outages. European GDPR compliance may be indirectly affected if service disruptions impact data availability or processing obligations.

1. Apply official patches or updates from Oracle as soon as they become available to address CVE-2024-21197. 2. Until patches are released, restrict network access to MySQL Server instances to trusted hosts and networks only, using firewalls and network segmentation to limit exposure. 3. Enforce the principle of least privilege by auditing and minimizing high-privileged accounts that have network access to MySQL. 4. Monitor MySQL Server logs and system behavior for signs of hangs, crashes, or unusual activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Implement robust intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to detect anomalous network traffic targeting MySQL protocols. 6. Consider deploying MySQL high availability and failover solutions to reduce downtime impact in case of DoS conditions. 7. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focusing on privilege escalation and network access controls. 8. Educate system administrators and database operators about the vulnerability and the importance of timely patching and monitoring. 9. Review and update incident response plans to include scenarios involving MySQL service disruptions. 10. If possible, isolate MySQL servers from direct internet exposure and use VPNs or secure tunnels for remote access.