Apache 2.2.3 is an outdated web server version that poses significant security risks to your website. With 20 known vulnerabilities—including 5 critical issues—any site still running this version is exposed to serious attacks. If you're managing a website and haven't updated Apache in years, this guide will help you understand the dangers and take immediate action.
Our research shows that 676 websites are still running Apache 2.2.3, making them prime targets for hackers. These vulnerabilities allow attackers to bypass authentication, execute malicious code, and crash servers. In this article, we'll explain what Apache 2.2.3 is, why it's dangerous, and exactly how to upgrade to a secure version.
Apache is the most popular web server software on the internet, powering over 30% of all websites. It's the software that processes requests from visitors' browsers and delivers web pages and content to their devices. Apache 2.2.3 was released in 2006 and served websites well for its time, but it's now dangerously outdated. Think of it like driving a car from 2006—while it still runs, it lacks modern safety features and breaks down more easily.
Web servers handle sensitive data including user logins, payment information, and personal details. An outdated web server is like leaving your front door unlocked: technically it still works as a door, but you're inviting trouble. Apache 2.2.3 was last updated over 15 years ago, and security researchers have discovered 20 different ways attackers can exploit it. If your website runs on this version, you're essentially advertising to hackers that your security isn't a priority.
20 CVEs found. The most critical are explained below.
Attackers can send specially crafted requests that trick your server into running malicious code. This happens when Apache Struts improperly processes certain user inputs during error handling.
Impact: A hacker could gain complete control of your server, steal all data, install malware, or use it to attack other systems.
↗ View on NVDAttackers can bypass your website's login security by exploiting how the web server handles authentication. This flaw allows unauthorized access to protected content without providing valid credentials.
Impact: Sensitive data could be accessed without permission, user accounts compromised, and private information exposed.
↗ View on NVDA specific flaw in how Apache handles secure HTTPS connections can cause your server to crash when processing certain requests. Attackers can deliberately trigger this to take your website offline.
Impact: Your website becomes unavailable to customers (denial of service), causing loss of business and revenue.
↗ View on NVDApache can be tricked into reading data outside its allocated memory when responding with certain file type headers. This memory disclosure could leak sensitive information.
Impact: Attackers could extract confidential data like passwords, encryption keys, or customer information from your server's memory.
↗ View on NVDThe authentication system used for API requests has a flaw where sensitive authentication data is not properly reset between requests. This leftover data could be exposed to attackers.
Impact: Authentication credentials or tokens could be exposed, allowing attackers to impersonate users or gain unauthorized access.
↗ View on NVDWhen Apache Struts encounters invalid form submissions, it improperly evaluates the data as executable code. Attackers exploit this to run malicious commands on your server.
Impact: A hacker could take over your server, steal databases, modify website content, or use your server to launch attacks on other targets.
↗ View on NVDShowing first 10 of 14. View all on NVD ↗
| CVE ID | Severity | Score | Published | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2017-7668 | HIGH | 7.5 | 2017-06-20 | The HTTP strict parsing changes added in Apache httpd 2.2.32 and 2.4.24 introduced a bug in token list parsing, which allows ap_find_token() to search past the end of its input st… |
| CVE-2016-8743 | HIGH | 7.5 | 2017-07-27 | Apache HTTP Server, in all releases prior to 2.2.32 and 2.4.25, was liberal in the whitespace accepted from requests and sent in response lines and headers. Accepting these differ… |
| CVE-2017-9798 | HIGH | 7.5 | 2017-09-18 | Apache httpd allows remote attackers to read secret data from process memory if the Limit directive can be set in a user's .htaccess file, or if httpd.conf has certain misconfigur… |
| CVE-2017-15710 | HIGH | 7.5 | 2018-03-26 | In Apache httpd 2.0.23 to 2.0.65, 2.2.0 to 2.2.34, and 2.4.0 to 2.4.29, mod_authnz_ldap, if configured with AuthLDAPCharsetConfig, uses the Accept-Language header value to lookup … |
| CVE-2021-40690 | HIGH | 7.5 | 2021-09-19 | All versions of Apache Santuario - XML Security for Java prior to 2.2.3 and 2.1.7 are vulnerable to an issue where the "secureValidation" property is not passed correctly when cre… |
| CVE-2019-0214 | MEDIUM | 6.5 | 2019-04-30 | In Apache Archiva 2.0.0 - 2.2.3, it is possible to write files to the archiva server at arbitrary locations by using the artifact upload mechanism. Existing files can be overwritt… |
| CVE-2007-1741 | MEDIUM | 6.2 | 2007-04-13 | Multiple race conditions in suexec in Apache HTTP Server (httpd) 2.2.3 between directory and file validation, and their usage, allow local users to gain privileges and execute arb… |
| CVE-2016-4975 | MEDIUM | 6.1 | 2018-08-14 | Possible CRLF injection allowing HTTP response splitting attacks for sites which use mod_userdir. This issue was mitigated by changes made in 2.4.25 and 2.2.32 which prohibit CR o… |
| CVE-2021-45229 | MEDIUM | 6.1 | 2022-02-25 | It was discovered that the "Trigger DAG with config" screen was susceptible to XSS attacks via the `origin` query argument. This issue affects Apache Airflow versions 2.2.3 and be… |
| CVE-2007-1743 | MEDIUM | 4.4 | 2007-04-13 | suexec in Apache HTTP Server (httpd) 2.2.3 does not verify combinations of user and group IDs on the command line, which might allow local users to leverage other vulnerabilities … |
| CVE-2011-2087 | MEDIUM | 4.3 | 2011-05-13 | Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in component handlers in the javatemplates (aka Java Templates) plugin in Apache Struts 2.x before 2.2.3 allow remote attackers… |
| CVE-2012-1006 | MEDIUM | 4.3 | 2012-02-07 | Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Apache Struts 2.0.14 and 2.2.3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) name or (2) lastNam… |
| CVE-2007-1742 | LOW | 3.7 | 2007-04-13 | suexec in Apache HTTP Server (httpd) 2.2.3 uses a partial comparison for verifying whether the current directory is within the document root, which might allow local users to perf… |
| CVE-2011-1772 | LOW | 2.6 | 2011-05-13 | Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in XWork in Apache Struts 2.x before 2.2.3, and OpenSymphony XWork in OpenSymphony WebWork, allow remote attackers to inject ar… |
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Running Apache 2.2.3 is like gambling with your website's security. The 5 critical vulnerabilities we've outlined allow attackers to steal data, take down your site, and damage your reputation. With 20 known CVEs and 676 websites still at risk, hackers are actively searching for outdated servers to compromise. Upgrading is not optional—it's essential for protecting your business, your customers, and your data.
Don't wait for a security breach to force your hand. Use SiteRecipe.com today to scan your website for vulnerabilities, identify outdated software, and get a detailed action plan for securing your site. Our platform makes it easy to find what's wrong and provides step-by-step guidance to fix it. Your website's security is too important to ignore—take action now and protect what matters most.
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