CVE-2004-0174 in HTTP Server
Summary
by MITRE
Apache 1.4.x before 1.3.30, and 2.0.x before 2.0.49, when using multiple listening sockets on certain platforms, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (blocked new connections) via a "short-lived connection on a rarely-accessed listening socket."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
This vulnerability affects apache web servers version 1.4.x before 1.3.30 and 2.0.x before 2.0.49 when configured with multiple listening sockets on specific platforms. The flaw manifests when the server handles short-lived connections on rarely-accessed listening sockets, leading to a denial of service condition where new connections become blocked. The issue stems from how the server manages its socket connections and listening mechanisms under these specific configurations.
The technical root cause involves the interaction between multiple listening sockets and the server's connection handling routines. When a short-lived connection is established on a rarely-accessed listening socket, the server's internal state management fails to properly release or reconfigure the socket resources. This creates a scenario where the system becomes unable to accept new incoming connections on affected sockets, effectively blocking legitimate client requests. The vulnerability is particularly pronounced on certain operating systems where the socket management implementation has specific limitations in handling concurrent connections across multiple listening interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for web server availability and service reliability. Attackers can exploit this weakness by establishing numerous short-lived connections on the rarely-accessed listening sockets, causing the server to exhaust its available connection handling resources. This results in a denial of service condition where legitimate users cannot establish new connections to the web server, potentially disrupting business operations and user access to web applications. The attack requires minimal resources and can be executed remotely without authentication, making it particularly dangerous in production environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve upgrading to patched versions of apache web server where version 1.3.30 and 2.0.49 or later are recommended. Organizations should also consider implementing connection limiting mechanisms and monitoring for unusual connection patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. System administrators should review their apache configurations to minimize the number of listening sockets where possible and ensure proper resource management. Additionally, implementing network-level firewalls and rate limiting controls can help reduce the impact of such attacks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which covers unspecified resource management issues, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify anomalous connection patterns and provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts.