HTTP ServerWeb server / proxy · Apache
CVE-2004-2343
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 · uneditedApache HTTP Server 2.0.47 and earlier allows local users to bypass .htaccess file restrictions, as specified in httpd.conf with directives such as Deny From All, by using an ErrorDocument directive. NOTE: the vendor has disputed this issue, since the .htaccess mechanism is only intended to restrict external web access, and a local user already has the privileges to perform the same operations without using ErrorDocument
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 · moderate confidenceIn Apache HTTP Server 2.0.47 and earlier, local users could potentially bypass .htaccess restrictions (such as 'Deny From All') by leveraging the ErrorDocument directive. The vulnerability stems from how ErrorDocument handlers interact with access control directives, potentially allowing authenticated local users to access resources that should be restricted.
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
HTTP ServerWeb server / proxy
<= 2.0.47CVSS 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
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
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.
-
Determine Apache HTTP Server versionRun 'httpd -v' or 'apache2 -v' to obtain the server version numberAffected if The version is 2.0.47 or earlier
-
Verify .htaccess support is enabledCheck the Apache configuration file (httpd.conf or apache2.conf) for 'AllowOverride' directive; look for 'AllowOverride All' or specific options that enable .htaccess processing for the affected directoryAffected if AllowOverride is set to allow .htaccess processing (not 'None') for directories containing sensitive content
-
Identify .htaccess files with access restrictionsSearch for .htaccess files in web directories and inspect them for directives such as 'Deny From All', 'Require all denied', or IP-based access controlsAffected if A .htaccess file contains restrictive access control directives that could be bypassed
-
Check for ErrorDocument directive usageSearch Apache configuration files and .htaccess files for 'ErrorDocument' directives, particularly those handling error codes like 403 or 404Affected if ErrorDocument is configured and could interact with access control in an affected version
You are affected if running Apache HTTP Server version 2.0.47 or earlier and your server permits .htaccess configuration with both access control restrictions and ErrorDocument directives in the same or related contexts.
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.
From vendor dataUpgrade to a patched version of Apache HTTP Server beyond 2.0.47, or implement additional access controls at the filesystem level to restrict local user access to sensitive content.
Fix this in HTTP Server
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,984.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2004-2343 — 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-2004-2343 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
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
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.
- 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