Check: WA000-WWA062 A24
Apache Server 2.4 Unix:
WA000-WWA062 A24
(in version v1 r1)
Title
The HTTP request header fields must be limited. (Cat II impact)
Discussion
Buffer overflow attacks are carried out by a malicious attacker sending amounts of data that the web server cannot store in a given size buffer. The eventual overflow of this buffer can overwrite system memory. Subsequently an attacker may be able to elevate privileges and take control of the server. This Apache directives limits the size of the various HTTP header sizes thereby limiting the chances for a buffer overflow. The LimitRequestFields directive allows the server administrator to modify the limit on the number of request header fields allowed in an HTTP request. A server needs this value to be larger than the number of fields that a normal client request might include. The number of request header fields used by a client rarely exceeds 20, but this may vary among different client implementations, often depending upon the extent to which a user has configured their browser to support detailed content negotiation. Optional HTTP extensions are often expressed using request header fields. This directive gives the server administrator greater control over abnormal client request behavior, which may be useful for avoiding some forms of denial-of-service attacks. The value should be increased if normal clients see an error response from the server that indicates too many fields were sent in the request.
Check Content
To view the LimitRequestFields value enter the following command: find / -name httpd.conf -print -exec grep -H -i "LimitRequestFields" {} \; If the value of LimitRequestFields is not set to a value greater than 0, this is a finding. Note: The default value for LimitRequestFields is 100.
Fix Text
Edit the httpd.conf file and set the LimitRequestFields directive to a value greater than 0.
Additional Identifiers
Rule ID:
Vulnerability ID: V-13737
Group Title:
Expert Comments
CCIs
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Controls
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