MySQLDatabase / datastore · Oracle
CVE-2023-21980
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 · uneditedVulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Client programs). Supported versions that are affected are 5.7.41 and prior and 8.0.32 and prior. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise MySQL Server. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of MySQL Server. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 7.1 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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 confidenceVulnerability in MySQL Server's client programs component affecting versions 5.7.41 and prior and 8.0.32 and prior. Allows a low-privileged attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise MySQL Server, but requires human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful exploitation can result in complete takeover of MySQL Server.
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
MySQLDatabase / datastore
>= 5.0.0, <= 5.7.41>= 8.0.0, <= 8.0.32CVSS 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
- High
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed MySQL Server versionRun `mysql --version` or `mysqld --version` from command line, or query the server with `SELECT VERSION();` if you have accessAffected if The reported version is 5.7.41 or lower, OR 8.0.32 or lower
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Check if MySQL client programs are installedLocate MySQL client binaries such as mysql, mysqldump, mysqlpump, or mysqlimport using `which mysql mysqldump mysqlpump` or by listing files in the MySQL bin directoryAffected if These client programs exist and their version matches the affected ranges above
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Verify network accessibility of MySQL servicesCheck if MySQL Server is listening on network interfaces (not just localhost) by reviewing mysqld configuration files for `bind-address` settings or running `netstat -tlnp | grep 3306`Affected if MySQL is bound to a non-localhost interface and is network-accessible
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Identify human interaction dependenciesReview whether MySQL client programs are used in automated scripts or can be triggered by external users, since exploitation requires human interaction from a person other than the attackerAffected if Client programs are accessible to low-privileged users or external parties who could be tricked into interacting with malicious MySQL connections
You are affected if your MySQL Server version is 5.7.41 or lower, or 8.0.32 or lower, and the client programs component is network-accessible to low-privileged users who could be socially engineered into triggering the attack.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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 · scopedApply Oracle's security updates for MySQL Server to obtain versions beyond 5.7.41 and 8.0.32, or apply the relevant quarterly security patch. Test thoroughly in non-production before deploying to production due to the critical impact.
MySQL 5.7.42+ or 8.0.33+ (Oracle Critical Patch Update April 2023)
- Backup all MySQL databases before upgrading
- Stop the MySQL Server service
- Upgrade MySQL Server to version 5.7.42 or later (if using 5.x), or to version 8.0.33 or later (if using 8.x)
- Start the MySQL Server service
- Verify the MySQL Server version matches the expected fixed release
- Test application connectivity to ensure normal operation
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in MySQL
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation6.0 h
- Implementation12.0 h
- Testing10.0 h
- Review / QA6.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $9,504.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-21980 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-21980 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- 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