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Security Advisory

Nginx 1.14.1 Vulnerabilities: 3 Critical CVEs Explained

    📅 June 07, 2026
    ·⏱ 5 min read
    ·🔒 SiteRecipe Security Team
  

⚠ 8,083 websites still running Nginx 1.14.1 → View full list

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High

Medium

Nginx 1.14.1, used by over 8,000 websites worldwide, contains three significant security vulnerabilities that could leave your server exposed to attacks. Two of these vulnerabilities are classified as HIGH severity, making them a serious concern for website administrators and security teams. If your website runs on Nginx 1.14.1, understanding these CVEs and taking immediate action is crucial to protect your infrastructure and user data.

These vulnerabilities primarily affect the HTTP/2 implementation and the MP4 module, potentially allowing attackers to consume excessive server resources, crash worker processes, or even extract sensitive information from memory. The good news is that these issues are well-documented and fixable with the right guidance. This comprehensive guide will walk you through identifying whether your server is affected and implementing the necessary security patches.

What is Nginx 1.14.1?

Nginx is one of the world's most popular open-source web servers, powering approximately 40% of all websites on the internet. Version 1.14.1 was released in 2018 and has been widely adopted by hosting providers and individual website owners due to its lightweight performance and efficient resource usage. Nginx acts as a reverse proxy and load balancer, meaning it sits between your users and your actual website content, handling incoming requests and distributing them appropriately.

Nginx 1.14.1 became a standard choice for many organizations because it's free, reliable, and offers excellent performance compared to Apache and other alternatives. However, like all software, it can contain security vulnerabilities that are discovered over time. The three CVEs affecting this version were identified in 2018 and relate to specific optional modules that handle HTTP/2 connections and multimedia file streaming. Understanding whether your Nginx installation includes these modules is the first step toward securing your server.

Key Vulnerabilities in Nginx 1.14.1

3 CVEs found. The most critical are explained below.

HIGH CVE-2018-16843 7.5/10 · CVSS v3.1 ⏱ Immediate

HTTP/2 Memory Overload Attack

Attackers can send specially crafted requests to your Nginx server that consume excessive memory. This only affects servers using HTTP/2 (a faster web protocol). If your server runs out of memory, it will slow down or crash.

Impact: Your website becomes unavailable or extremely slow, affecting all visitors and potentially damaging your reputation and sales.

↗ View on NVD

HIGH CVE-2018-16844 7.5/10 · CVSS v3.1 ⏱ Immediate

HTTP/2 CPU Overload Attack

Attackers can send malicious HTTP/2 requests that force your server to use excessive CPU processing power. This only affects servers using HTTP/2. The server gets overwhelmed trying to process these requests.

Impact: Your website becomes slow or unresponsive, and legitimate visitors cannot access your site quickly or at all.

↗ View on NVD

MEDIUM CVE-2018-16845 6.1/10 · CVSS v3.1 ⏱ Within 7 days

MP4 Video File Crash Vulnerability

Attackers can upload specially crafted MP4 video files that crash your server or expose sensitive data. This only affects servers configured to serve MP4 files directly. A single bad file could compromise your security.

Impact: Server crashes, data breaches if sensitive information is exposed, or website downtime affecting your business operations.

↗ View on NVD

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How to Check If Your Website Is Affected

1 Access your server via SSH and run the command: nginx -v to confirm you're running version 1.14.1
2 Check if HTTP/2 module is enabled by running: nginx -V and look for 'http_v2_module' or '--with-http_v2_module' in the output
3 Check if MP4 module is compiled by searching for 'http_mp4_module' or '--with-http_mp4_module' in the same output from step 2

How to Fix These Vulnerabilities

1 Backup your current Nginx configuration by running: cp -r /etc/nginx /etc/nginx.backup to preserve your current settings
2 Update Nginx to version 1.15.6 or higher by using your package manager (apt upgrade nginx on Ubuntu/Debian or yum update nginx on CentOS/RHEL)
3 Verify the update was successful by running: nginx -v and confirming the new version number is displayed
4 Restart Nginx to apply the security patches with: systemctl restart nginx, then test your website to ensure all services are functioning normally

Conclusion

The three CVEs affecting Nginx 1.14.1 represent a real security risk that shouldn't be ignored. With over 8,000 websites still running this vulnerable version, attackers actively look for servers using outdated software. The vulnerabilities could allow attackers to consume excessive resources, crash your server, or potentially access sensitive data. Upgrading to Nginx 1.15.6 or later is the most effective solution and typically takes only minutes to complete.

Don't wait until an attack occurs—take action today to secure your Nginx infrastructure. If you're managing multiple servers or a complex web infrastructure, SiteRecipe.com can help you identify vulnerable software across your entire network with our comprehensive vulnerability scanning tools. Our platform continuously monitors your servers for known CVEs and provides automated remediation guidance, ensuring your digital assets stay protected. Visit SiteRecipe.com today to get a free security assessment and see how we can help you maintain a secure, resilient web infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'HIGH severity' mean for these Nginx CVEs?

HIGH severity means the vulnerabilities can be easily exploited and have significant impact on system availability or security. In this case, attackers could crash your Nginx server or consume all available memory/CPU resources without requiring special privileges or complex attack techniques. This could result in denial of service, affecting your website's availability to legitimate users.

Do I need to update if I don't use HTTP/2 or MP4 streaming?

While the HTTP/2 and MP4 vulnerabilities only affect those specific modules, you should still update Nginx as a best practice. Security patches often include fixes for multiple issues and security improvements across the entire application. Additionally, you may have modules enabled that you're unaware of, so upgrading to the patched version is the safest approach.

Will upgrading Nginx break my website configuration?

Upgrading from 1.14.1 to 1.15.6 or later is generally safe and backward-compatible. Your existing configuration files will continue to work. However, it's always best practice to backup your configuration (as shown in our fix guide) and test in a staging environment first if possible. Most hosting providers manage these updates automatically with no disruption to service.

How can I monitor for future Nginx vulnerabilities?

You can subscribe to the official Nginx security mailing list at nginx.org, enable automatic security updates on your server, or use vulnerability management tools like SiteRecipe.com that continuously scan your infrastructure and alert you to new CVEs. Regular monitoring ensures you're never caught off-guard by new security threats.

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DISCLAIMER: This report is based on publicly available CVE data from the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) maintained by NIST. Detection of a technology version does not confirm active exploitation on any specific website. For informational purposes only. SiteRecipe is not responsible for actions taken based on this report. Always consult a qualified security professional.

Source: nvd.nist.gov · Published: June 07, 2026 · SiteRecipe.com