dbcve.org
Network Data Loss PreventionApplication · Mcafee

CVE-2014-8522

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v2.0 Published 2014-10-29
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 9.2.2 or later.
See remediation →
84/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The MySQL database in McAfee Network Data Loss Prevention (NDLP) before 9.3 does not require a password, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain access.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The MySQL database bundled with McAfee Network Data Loss Prevention (NDLP) prior to version 9.3 is deployed without password authentication enabled. This configuration flaw allows any remote attacker with network connectivity to the NDLP system to connect directly to the MySQL database without credentials, potentially exposing sensitive DLP configuration data and captured content.

MitigationEnable MySQL authentication by setting a strong root password and configuring the NDLP application to authenticate to MySQL. Ensure the MySQL port is not exposed to untrusted networks and apply the NDLP 9.3 or later update.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Network Data Loss PreventionApplication
Affected:<= 9.2.2= 8.6= 9.2.0= 9.2.1

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Partial
Integrity
Partial
Availability
Partial

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify McAfee NDLP installation and version
    Check the installed McAfee Network Data Loss Prevention version. On Windows, look in Add/Remove Programs or check the installation directory (typically C:\Program Files\McAfee\Network DLP or similar). On Linux, check /opt/mcafee/ndlp or use rpm/dpkg queries.
    Affected if The installed version is 8.6, 9.2.0, 9.2.1, or 9.2.2 (or any version <= 9.2.2). Versions 9.3 and later are not affected.
  2. Locate the bundled MySQL database
    Identify the MySQL executable used by NDLP. Check the NDLP installation directory for MySQL binaries (mysqld.exe on Windows, mysqld on Linux) or configuration files (my.ini, my.cnf) that reference the NDLP data directory.
    Affected if A bundled MySQL instance is found within the NDLP installation directory.
  3. Test MySQL authentication status
    Attempt to connect to the MySQL port (default 3306) on the NDLP server using a MySQL client without providing credentials: mysql -h <ndlp_host> -u root. Also try mysql -h <ndlp_host> without any user specification.
    Affected if Connection succeeds without requiring a password, indicating authentication is not enforced.
  4. Verify MySQL configuration for authentication settings
    Examine the MySQL configuration file (my.ini or my.cnf in the NDLP MySQL directory) for skip-grant-tables or similar settings that disable authentication. Also check the mysql.user table if access is available: SELECT user, host, password FROM mysql.user;
    Affected if skip-grant-tables is present or root user has an empty password hash.
  5. Assess network exposure of MySQL port
    Determine if the MySQL port (3306 by default) is listening on external interfaces or is accessible from untrusted networks. Use netstat -an | findstr 3306 or nmap -p 3306 <target> to check port binding and accessibility.
    Affected if The MySQL port is bound to 0.0.0.0 or is reachable from networks other than localhost/trusted management subnets.

You are affected if McAfee NDLP version is 9.2.2 or earlier and the bundled MySQL accepts connections without authentication credentials or has skip-grant-tables configured.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 9.2.2
Interim mitigation

Enable MySQL authentication by setting a strong root password and configuring the NDLP application to authenticate to MySQL. Ensure the MySQL port is not exposed to untrusted networks and apply the NDLP 9.3 or later update.

Fix this in Network Data Loss Prevention Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,380
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An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,808.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2014-8522 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data