CVE-2017-9798
Apache httpd allows remote attackers to read secret data from process memory if the Limit directive can be set in a user's .htaccess file, or if httpd.conf has certain misconfigurations, aka Optionsbleed.
Does this matter?
EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 95.0%, higher than 100% of all known CVEs. Patch or mitigate before the next change window.
Description
Apache httpd allows remote attackers to read secret data from process memory if the Limit directive can be set in a user's .htaccess file, or if httpd.conf has certain misconfigurations, aka Optionsbleed. This affects the Apache HTTP Server through 2.2.34 and 2.4.x through 2.4.27. The attacker sends an unauthenticated OPTIONS HTTP request when attempting to read secret data. This is a use-after-free issue and thus secret data is not always sent, and the specific data depends on many factors including configuration. Exploitation with .htaccess can be blocked with a patch to the ap_limit_section function in server/core.c.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- EPSS
- 95.00% probability · 100th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · first 18 September 2017
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-416
- Affected
- apache/http server · debian/debian linux
- Source
- security@apache.org
EPSS 95.0% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
Public exploits (1)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/09/18/2Mailing List, VDB Entry
- http://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-3980Third Party Advisory
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuapr2018-3678067.htmlPatch, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2018-3236628.htmlPatch, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujul2018-4258247.htmlPatch, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2018-4428296.htmlPatch, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/100872Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105598Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039387Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2882Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2972Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3018Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3113Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3114Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3193Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3194Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3195Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3239Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3240Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3475Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3476Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3477Third Party Advisory
- https://blog.fuzzing-project.org/60-Optionsbleed-HTTP-OPTIONS-method-can-leak-Apaches-server-memory.htmlExploit, Patch, Technical Description, Third Party Advisory
- https://blog.fuzzing-project.org/uploads/apache-2.2-optionsbleed-backport.patchExploit, Patch, Technical Description, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/apache/httpd/commit/4cc27823899e070268b906ca677ee838d07cf67aPatch, Vendor Advisory
- https://github.com/hannob/optionsbleedExploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://httpd.apache.org/security/vulnerabilities_24.html#CVE-2017-9798Vendor Advisory
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/56c2e7cc9deb1c12a843d0dc251ea7fd3e7e80293cde02fcd65286ba%40%3Ccvs.httpd.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/84a3714f0878781f6ed84473d1a503d2cc382277e100450209231830%40%3Ccvs.httpd.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/8d63cb8e9100f28a99429b4328e4e7cebce861d5772ac9863ba2ae6f%40%3Ccvs.httpd.apache.org%3E
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.