dbcve.org
MariaDBDatabase / datastore

CVE-2022-38791

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-08-27
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 10.3.36 / 10.4.26 or later.
See remediation →
57/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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
In MariaDB before 10.9.2, compress_write in extra/mariabackup/ds_compress.cc does not release data_mutex upon a stream write failure, which allows local users to trigger a deadlock.

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

In MariaDB before 10.9.2, the compress_write function in extra/mariabackup/ds_compress.cc fails to release the data_mutex when a stream write operation fails, allowing local users to trigger a deadlock by exploiting this missing error-path cleanup.

MitigationUpgrade to MariaDB version 10.9.2 or later which contains the fix for proper mutex release in the error handling path.

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
MariaDBDatabase / datastore
Affected:>= 10.3.0, < 10.3.36>= 10.4.0, < 10.4.26>= 10.5.0, < 10.5.17>= 10.6.0, < 10.6.9>= 10.7.0, < 10.7.5>= 10.8.0, < 10.8.4= 10.9.1
FedoraOperating system
Affected:= 35= 36= 37

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
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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. Check MariaDB server version
    Run `mysql --version` or `SELECT VERSION();` to obtain the installed MariaDB version
    Affected if Version is >= 10.3.0 and < 10.3.36, OR >= 10.4.0 and < 10.4.26, OR >= 10.5.0 and < 10.5.17, OR >= 10.6.0 and < 10.6.9, OR >= 10.7.0 and < 10.7.5, OR >= 10.8.0 and < 10.8.4, OR equals 10.9.1
  2. Verify mariabackup binary exists
    Run `which mariabackup` or `mariabackup --version` to confirm mariabackup is installed
    Affected if mariabackup binary is present on the system
  3. Identify mariabackup compression usage
    Review any backup scripts or cron jobs that invoke mariabackup, looking for the `--compress` or `--compress-threads` option, or compression-related settings in backup configuration files
    Affected if mariabackup is being run with compression enabled (--compress flag or equivalent configuration)

If MariaDB version falls within the affected ranges AND mariabackup with compression is in use, the environment is vulnerable to deadlock via the unreleased data_mutex in the compress_write error path.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 10.3.36 / 10.4.26 / 10.5.17 or later
Fixed in 10.3.3610.4.2610.5.17
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to MariaDB version 10.9.2 or later which contains the fix for proper mutex release in the error handling path.

Recommended fix High confidence

Upgrade to one of: MariaDB 10.3.36+, 10.4.26+, 10.5.17+, 10.6.9+, or 10.9.2+ (the description indicates 10.9.2 as the upstream fix release)

  1. Identify current MariaDB version using: `mysql --version` or `mariadb --version`
  2. Stop MariaDB service: `systemctl stop mariadb` or `systemctl stop mysqld`
  3. Backup all databases: `mysqldump --all-databases > all_databases_backup.sql` (or use mariabackup for hot backup)
  4. Update package repository: `dnf check-update` or `apt-get update` depending on OS
  5. For Fedora systems: Run `dnf update mariadb` or `dnf update mariadb-server`
  6. Install updated packages: `dnf install mariadb mariadb-server` or equivalent
  7. Start MariaDB service: `systemctl start mariadb` or `systemctl start mysqld`
  8. Verify version after upgrade: `mysql --version` to confirm fix is applied
Caveat Review MariaDB upgrade notes between your current version and target version; major version jumps may require migration testing

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in MariaDB Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
12.0 hours of engineering $2,130
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,408.

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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-2022-38791 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