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ApisixApplication · Apache

CVE-2024-32638

MEDIUM · 6.3 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-05-02
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
69/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable 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
Inconsistent Interpretation of HTTP Requests ('HTTP Request Smuggling') vulnerability in Apache APISIX when using `forward-auth` plugin.This issue affects Apache APISIX: from 3.8.0, 3.9.0. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.8.1, 3.9.1 or higher, which fixes the issue.

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

HTTP Request Smuggling vulnerability in Apache APISIX's forward-auth plugin allows attackers to exploit inconsistencies in how front-end and back-end proxies interpret HTTP request boundaries (Content-Length/Transfer-Encoding headers), potentially bypassing security controls or injecting malicious requests between legitimate traffic.

MitigationUpgrade Apache APISIX to version 3.8.1, 3.9.1 or higher to obtain the patched version of the forward-auth plugin.

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
ApisixApplication
Affected:= 3.8.0= 3.9.0

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
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
Low

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

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 installed Apache APISIX version
    Run the command to retrieve the APISIX version (for example, using the admin API or checking the package version on the system)
    Affected if The installed version is 3.8.0 or 3.9.0 specifically
  2. Verify forward-auth plugin is enabled
    Check the APISIX configuration files and running plugin list to determine if the forward-auth plugin is loaded and active
    Affected if The forward-auth plugin is present in the enabled plugins configuration
  3. Confirm proxy configuration exists
    Inspect the APISIX route or upstream configuration to see if forward-auth is applied to any routes handling external traffic
    Affected if forward-auth is configured on routes that proxy traffic to back-end services
  4. Check for conflicting proxy headers
    Review the proxy setup for any routes using forward-auth to see if they involve front-end proxies that may send both Content-Length and Transfer-Encoding headers
    Affected if Routes with forward-auth pass requests through proxies that could trigger header ambiguity

You are affected if your Apache APISIX installation is version 3.8.0 or 3.9.0 AND the forward-auth plugin is enabled in your configuration.

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
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Upgrade Apache APISIX to version 3.8.1, 3.9.1 or higher to obtain the patched version of the forward-auth plugin.

Recommended fix High confidence

3.8.1, 3.9.1, or latest stable release

  1. 1. Back up your current Apache APISIX configuration files, especially apisix.yaml and any custom plugin configurations.
  2. 2. Stop the Apache APISIX service to prevent requests during upgrade.
  3. 3. Upgrade Apache APISIX to version 3.8.1, 3.9.1, or a later stable release. Use your package manager or the official upgrade script provided in the APISIX documentation.
  4. 4. After upgrading, verify the forward-auth plugin configuration is intact and review the Apache APISIX changelog for version 3.8.1 and 3.9.1 to confirm the HTTP Request Smuggling fix is included.
  5. 5. Restart the Apache APISIX service and test that the forward-auth plugin functions correctly with legitimate requests.
  6. 6. Monitor logs for any anomalies and verify that HTTP request smuggling attempts are now properly handled.
Caveat Review the official Apache APISIX changelog between your current version and the target version for any breaking changes, particularly in the forward-auth plugin or related HTTP handling

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

Fix this in Apisix Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
12.0 hours of engineering $2,080
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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-2024-32638 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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