dbcve.org
HTTP ServerWeb server / proxy · Apache

CVE-2024-38474

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-07-01
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 2.4.60 or later.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges 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
Substitution encoding issue in mod_rewrite in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.59 and earlier allows attacker to execute scripts in directories permitted by the configuration but not directly reachable by any URL or source disclosure of scripts meant to only to be executed as CGI. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.4.60, which fixes this issue. Some RewriteRules that capture and substitute unsafely will now fail unless rewrite flag "UnsafeAllow3F" is specified.

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

A substitution encoding flaw in mod_rewrite in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.59 and earlier allows attackers to execute scripts in directories that are permitted by server configuration but not directly accessible via URL, or to disclose source code of scripts intended only for CGI execution. This occurs through unsafe capture and substitution in RewriteRules.

MitigationUpgrade to Apache HTTP Server 2.4.60 immediately. Review all RewriteRules for unsafe substitutions; rules that previously worked may now fail and require the UnsafeAllow3F flag, which should only be added after careful security review.

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
Affected:>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.60
Clustered Data OntapOperating system
Affected:= 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
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Determine Apache HTTP Server version
    Run 'httpd -v' or 'apache2 -v' to obtain the server version number
    Affected if The installed version is less than 2.4.60 (versions 2.4.0 through 2.4.59 are affected)
  2. Confirm mod_rewrite is loaded
    Check the httpd configuration for 'LoadModule rewrite_module' or run 'httpd -M' to list loaded modules
    Affected if mod_rewrite is enabled and the Apache version is in the affected range
  3. Identify RewriteRule usage in configuration
    Search configuration files for 'RewriteRule' directives, typically found in httpd.conf, apache2.conf, .htaccess, or included configuration files
    Affected if Any RewriteRule directives exist in the server configuration
  4. Inspect RewriteRules for capture group substitutions
    Review RewriteRule patterns for use of capture groups ($1, $2, etc.) in the substitution string, particularly where the captured content could influence file paths or CGI execution
    Affected if RewriteRules contain capture group references that could be substituted into paths or script names
  5. Check NetApp Clustered Data Ontap version if applicable
    If running NetApp storage systems, determine the Clustered Data Ontap version through system commands or administrative interfaces
    Affected if NetApp Clustered Data Ontap version is exactly 9.0

The environment is affected if Apache HTTP Server version is less than 2.4.60, mod_rewrite is enabled, and RewriteRules with capture group substitutions exist in the configuration that could manipulate file paths or CGI script execution.

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 2.4.60 or later
Fixed in 2.4.60
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to Apache HTTP Server 2.4.60 immediately. Review all RewriteRules for unsafe substitutions; rules that previously worked may now fail and require the UnsafeAllow3F flag, which should only be added after careful security review.

Recommended fix High confidence

Apache HTTP Server 2.4.60

  1. Identify all Apache HTTP Server instances running version 2.4.0 through 2.4.59 in your environment
  2. Review all RewriteRule configurations for patterns that capture and substitute URL parts unsafely
  3. Plan the upgrade: check module compatibility and test in a staging environment
  4. Download Apache HTTP Server 2.4.60 from the official Apache website (httpd.apache.org) or your package manager
  5. Stop the Apache HTTP Server service before applying the upgrade
  6. Upgrade to Apache HTTP Server 2.4.60 using your system's package manager or by compiling from source
  7. Start the Apache HTTP Server service and verify it runs correctly
  8. Test all RewriteRule configurations - some may fail if they use unsafe capture/substitution patterns
Caveat Some RewriteRules that capture and substitute unsafely will fail unless the 'UnsafeAllow3F' flag is added - review and test all RewriteRule configurations after upgrade

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

Fix this in HTTP Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
7.0 hours of engineering $1,240
Get the upgrade done

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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-2024-38474 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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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