cbcvebase.
CVE-2018-8011
published 2018-07-18

CVE-2018-8011: By specially crafting HTTP requests, the mod_md challenge handler would dereference a NULL pointer and cause the child process to segfault. This could be used…

PriorityP277high7.5CVSS 3.0
AVNACLPRNUINSUCNINAH
ITWEXPLOITVulnCheck KEV
Exploited in the wild
EPSS
51.71%
98.8th percentile
By specially crafting HTTP requests, the mod_md challenge handler would dereference a NULL pointer and cause the child process to segfault. This could be used to DoS the server. Fixed in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.34 (Affected 2.4.33).

Affected

4 ranges
VendorProductVersion rangeFixed in
apachehttp_server
apachehttpd
apache_software_foundationapache_http_server
debianapache2< apache2 2.4.34-1 (bookworm)apache2 2.4.34-1 (bookworm)

Detection & IOCsextracted from sources · hover to see the quote

commandGET http://${Host} HTTP/1.1 Host: ${Host}
  • The DoS trigger is an HTTP request using an absolute-form request-target (full URI in the request line, e.g. 'GET http://<host> HTTP/1.1') directed at a server running Apache HTTP Server 2.4.33 with mod_md enabled. This causes the mod_md challenge handler to dereference a NULL pointer and segfault the child process.
  • Detection probe: send a valid GET request first and confirm the Server header matches 'Apache/([0-9.]+)' (specifically 2.4.33), then send the absolute-form DoS request. If the connection drops/errors, the target is vulnerable.
  • Affected component is mod_md (ACME/Let's Encrypt module), first introduced as experimental in Apache httpd 2.4.30 (first released in 2.4.32). Only servers with mod_md loaded are exploitable.
  • Monitor Apache httpd child process segfaults (SIGSEGV) in error logs, particularly when mod_md is active, as an indicator of exploitation attempts.
  • ·Vulnerability only affects Apache HTTP Server version 2.4.33 exactly. Versions 2.4.30–2.4.31 were never released; 2.4.32 introduced mod_md but is not listed as affected by this CVE. All Red Hat Enterprise Linux packages are listed as 'Not affected', suggesting mod_md was not shipped/enabled in those builds.
  • ·mod_md must be loaded and active for the vulnerability to be exploitable. Servers without mod_md enabled are not at risk.
  • ·The nuclei detection template uses stop-at-first-match and tests both ports 80 and 443, excluding port 0. The detection logic infers vulnerability by observing connection failure after the DoS request — this is a destructive/active check that may actually crash the target child process.

CVSS provenance

nvdv3.07.5HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
nvdv2.05.0MEDIUMAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
osv7.5HIGH
vulncheck7.5HIGH
vendor_apache7.5
vendor_debian7.5HIGH
vendor_redhat7.5HIGH
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