high CVSS 7.5

CVE-2024-39573·Apache vulnerability

Potential SSRF in mod_rewrite in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.59 and earlier allows an attacker to cause unsafe RewriteRules to unexpectedly setup URL's to be handled by mod_proxy. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.4.60, which fixes this issue.

Severity
high
Software
Apache
Fixed in
2.4.60
Published
2024-07-01

Affected versions

From: 2.4.0

Until: 2.4.60

Fixed in: 2.4.60

How to fix this CVE

Apache HTTP Server 2.4.59 and earlier contain a flaw in mod_rewrite that can allow attackers to manipulate URL rewriting rules to route requests through mod_proxy unexpectedly, creating a server-side request forgery (SSRF) pathway. Upgrade to Apache 2.4.60 or later to resolve this vulnerability. Review your RewriteRules configuration to ensure they do not inadvertently enable proxy access to internal or restricted resources.

sudo dnf update httpd

Defensia detects this vulnerability

What an exploitation attempt looks like

Sample log line indicative of exploitation attempts:

POST|GET request containing encoded or unencoded rewrite rule parameters that include 'mod_proxy', '[P]' flag, or 'ProxyPassReverse' directives in the URI path or Host header, particularly targeting internal IP addresses or localhost endpoints

WAF mitigation (if patching is not yet possible)

Add this rule to your WAF to block exploitation attempts while you schedule the patch.

Implement WAF rules to block HTTP requests containing rewrite rule syntax patterns in user input (e.g., regex patterns matching '\[P\]|ProxyPass|mod_proxy' in query strings and request headers). Additionally, restrict outbound proxy requests from the web application to only explicitly whitelisted internal endpoints.

How to check if you are affected

  1. Step 1: Check your Apache version with 'apache2ctl -v' or 'httpd -v' and verify it is 2.4.60 or later
  2. Step 2: Examine your Apache configuration files (typically /etc/apache2/apache2.conf or /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf) for RewriteRule directives that reference [P] proxy flag or RewriteCond rules that might route to mod_proxy
  3. Step 3: Search Apache access and error logs for unusual proxy requests, particularly those targeting internal IP ranges (10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, 192.168.0.0/16) or localhost: 'grep -i "mod_proxy\|\[P\]" /var/log/apache2/access.log /var/log/apache2/error.log'
  4. Step 4: After upgrading, confirm the new version with 'apache2ctl -v' or 'httpd -v' and restart the service: 'sudo systemctl restart apache2' or 'sudo systemctl restart httpd'

FAQ

What is CVE-2024-39573?

CVE-2024-39573 is a server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in Apache's mod_rewrite module that allows attackers to bypass security controls by crafting malicious URLs that exploit unsafe rewrite rules to reach internal resources via mod_proxy, potentially bypassing access restrictions and exposing sensitive internal services.

Is CVE-2024-39573 being actively exploited?

No, CVE-2024-39573 is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and no public exploits are currently available, though organizations should still prioritize patching to prevent future exploitation.

What versions of Apache are affected by CVE-2024-39573?

Apache HTTP Server versions 2.4.0 through 2.4.59 are vulnerable; version 2.4.60 and later contain the fix.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2024-39573?

Run 'apache2ctl -v' or 'httpd -v' to display your Apache version. If it shows 2.4.59 or earlier, your server is vulnerable and requires immediate updating to 2.4.60 or later.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-39573?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If Apache is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2024-39573 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

Related Apache CVEs

CVE-2024-38476CVSS 9.8Vulnerability in core of Apache HTTP Server 2.4.59 and earlier are vulnerably to information disclosure, SSRF or local script execution via backend applications whose response headers are malicious or exploitable. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.4.60, which fixes this issue.
CVE-2024-38474CVSS 9.8Substitution 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.
CVE-2024-38475CVSS 9.1Improper escaping of output in mod_rewrite in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.59 and earlier allows an attacker to map URLs to filesystem locations that are permitted to be served by the server but are not intentionally/directly reachable by any URL, resulting in code execution or source code disclosure. Substitutions in server context that use a backreferences or variables as the first segment of the substitution are affected.  Some unsafe RewiteRules will be broken by this change and the rewrite flag "UnsafePrefixStat" can be used to opt back in once ensuring the substitution is appropriately constrained.
CVE-2025-23048CVSS 9.1In some mod_ssl configurations on Apache HTTP Server 2.4.35 through to 2.4.63, an access control bypass by trusted clients is possible using TLS 1.3 session resumption. Configurations are affected when mod_ssl is configured for multiple virtual hosts, with each restricted to a different set of trusted client certificates (for example with a different SSLCACertificateFile/Path setting). In such a case, a client trusted to access one virtual host may be able to access another virtual host, if SSLStrictSNIVHostCheck is not enabled in either virtual host.
CVE-2025-58098CVSS 8.3Apache HTTP Server 2.4.65 and earlier with Server Side Includes (SSI) enabled and mod_cgid (but not mod_cgi) passes the shell-escaped query string to #exec cmd="..." directives. This issue affects Apache HTTP Server before 2.4.66. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.4.66, which fixes the issue.

References

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