Apache HTTP Server 2.4.37 is currently running on 612 websites, but it contains 4 known vulnerabilities including 3 rated as HIGH severity. These flaws could allow attackers to bypass security controls, hijack user sessions, and cause denial of service attacks. If your website uses this outdated version, you're at significant risk and need to take immediate action.
This comprehensive guide will help you understand the vulnerabilities affecting Apache 2.4.37, identify whether your server is vulnerable, and implement the necessary patches to protect your website. We'll walk you through each CVE, explain the real-world implications, and provide step-by-step remediation instructions.
Time is critical—cybercriminals actively exploit known vulnerabilities in popular software like Apache. Delaying updates increases your exposure to breaches, data theft, and compliance violations.
Apache HTTP Server 2.4.37 is a web server software that powers websites by handling requests from visitors' browsers and delivering web pages. Released in 2018, this version was once considered secure, but subsequent security research discovered multiple critical flaws. Apache 2.4.37 uses modules like mod_ssl for HTTPS encryption, mod_session for user authentication, and mod_http2 for modern HTTP/2 protocol support.
Think of Apache as the 'middleman' between your website visitors and your website files. It receives billions of requests daily across millions of websites worldwide. When vulnerabilities exist in Apache, attackers can exploit them to intercept sensitive data, steal session tokens, or crash your entire website. The four vulnerabilities in version 2.4.37 are particularly dangerous because they affect core security features that protect user data.
4 CVEs found. The most critical are explained below.
Your website's temporary login sessions aren't expiring when they should. An attacker could use an expired session cookie to stay logged in longer than intended. This only affects websites using Apache's cookie-based session management.
Impact: Users could remain authenticated after their session should have ended, potentially allowing unauthorized access to their accounts or data.
↗ View on NVDAttackers can send specially crafted requests that cause your web server to get stuck in an infinite loop and stop responding. This vulnerability only affects Apache 2.4.37 paired with OpenSSL 1.1.1 or newer versions.
Impact: Your website could become unavailable (down) until the server is manually restarted, affecting all visitors.
↗ View on NVDWebsites requiring client certificates for security (like those protecting sensitive areas) could be bypassed by attackers. This only happens on Apache 2.4.37-2.4.38 with the newest TLS 1.3 encryption standard.
Impact: Attackers could gain access to restricted areas that should require valid client certificates, exposing protected content.
↗ View on NVDAttackers can deliberately send data very slowly to tie up your server's resources. Your server dedicates worker threads to process these slow requests, leaving fewer resources for legitimate visitors.
Impact: Your website could become slow or unresponsive when attacked, reducing availability for real users.
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Apache 2.4.37 contains serious security flaws that put your website and visitors at risk. The three HIGH severity vulnerabilities allow attackers to bypass SSL security, hijack user sessions, and exploit authentication mechanisms. With 612 websites still running this vulnerable version, you can be certain that attackers are actively scanning for and exploiting these flaws. Updating to Apache 2.4.39 or later is not optional—it's a critical security requirement.
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