VULNpocalypse

CVE-2024-38475: Apache HTTP Server Improper Escaping of Output Vulnerability

Advisory generated from the CVE record, CISA, Exploit Observer and VEDAS: what it is, whether it is exploited, who is affected, and how to fix and detect it.

Generated by VEDAS. Scores as of 2026-11-01 19:19 UTC. Rebuilt every few hours from cve-scores, CISA KEV and vedas-signatures. How this works and its limits.

What it is

Improper escaping of output in mod_rewrite in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.59 and earlier allows an attacker to map URLs to filesystem locations that are permitted to be served by the server but are not intentionally/directly reachable by any URL, resulting in code execution or source code disclosure. Substitutions in server context that use a backreferences or variables as the first segment of the substitution are affected.  Some unsafe RewiteRules will be broken by this change and the rewrite flag “UnsafePrefixStat” can be used to opt back in once ensuring the substitution is appropriately constrained.

Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by apache, published 2024-07-01).

Weakness: CWE-116 Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output

How it can be exploited

Exploitable over the network with low attack complexity needing no privileges and no user interaction. Impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability none. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses exploitation as active. Automatable: yes. Technical impact: total.

On CISA KEV since
2025-05-01
US federal deadline
2025-05-22
Ransomware use
Not known

Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)

Also known as: BDU:2024-04936, CNNVD-202407-093, CNVD-2024-36387, EUVD-2024-37356, GHSA-pf44-j75v-mhr8, SNYK-ALPINE320-APACHE2-7414129, SNYK-ALPINE321-APACHE2-8482521, SNYK-CENTOS8-HTTPDTOOLS-7414613, SNYK-CENTOS9-HTTPDTOOLS-7414419, SNYK-DEBIAN13-APACHE2-7414089, SNYK-ORACLE8-MODHTTP2-7558209, SNYK-RHEL7-JBCSHTTPD24HTTPDTOOLS-7414864, SNYK-RHEL8-HTTPD-7414596, SNYK-SLES152-APACHE2WORKER-7548401, SNYK-SLES153-APACHE2WORKER-7548425, SNYK-SLES154-APACHE2DEVEL-7575073, SNYK-SLES154-APACHE2UTILS-7575000, SNYK-SLES155-APACHE2EVENT-7575111, SNYK-SLES156-APACHE2UTILS-7568995, SNYK-UNMANAGED-APACHEHTTPD-7430267

VEDAS cluster: VEDAS:ARKANGELLEAD

Exploit Observer links 9 pieces of public exploit code or detection modules that name this CVE or one of its aliases.

Exploit code and modules (9)

Code that names this CVE. A repository can be a working exploit, a scanner, a fake or malware; read it before running anything.

Research and write-ups (11)

Vulnerability databases and vendor advisories (26)

Catalogue entries, not exploit evidence.

112 more references returned by Exploit Observer did not name this CVE or an alias, so they are left out.

VEDAS data as of 2026-11-01T17:12 UTC; fetched 2026-11-02.

Live scores

EPSS
1.000
very likely to be attacked soon
VEDAS
0.984
strong exploit evidence
On CISA KEV
Yes, since 2025-05-01
Detection rule
Nuclei · Suricata
EPSS (chance of attack)
10No cve-scores data 2026-02-22 to 2026-08-08no data0.1Added to CISA KEV 2025-05-01CVE-2024-38475 EPSS over time2025-042026-11-01
VEDAS (exploit evidence)
10No cve-scores data 2026-02-22 to 2026-08-08no data0.9Added to CISA KEV 2025-05-01CVE-2024-38475 VEDAS over time2025-042026-11-01

Thin horizontal line: the “likely” (EPSS 0.10) or “strong” (VEDAS 0.90) threshold. Shaded “no data” areas are periods when cve-scores did not publish. The vertical line is the day CISA added it to its exploited list.

Who is affected

ProductAffectedNot affected
Apache Software Foundation Apache HTTP Serverfrom 2.4.0 up to and including 2.4.59Not stated

Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.

Exploit Observer also maps it to: apache http_server.

How to fix it

CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Vendor guidance:

How to detect it

Nuclei template (active check)

Sonicwal - Code Injection

Improper escaping of output in mod_rewrite in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.59 and earlier allows an attacker to map URLs to filesystem locations that are permitted to be served by the server but are not intentionally/directly reachable by any URL, resulting in code execution or source code disclosure. Substitutions in server context that use a backreferences or variables as the first segment of the substitution are affected.

Name and description quoted from the template, written by VEDAS.

The template sends 2 requests (GET /tmp/temp.db%3f.1.1.1.1a-1.css, GET /mnt/ram/var/log/httpd.log%3f.1.1.1.1a-1.css); it decides using dsl matchers. Severity in the template: critical. Marked as not yet verified against a live vulnerable target.

Run it against a host you own or are authorised to test:

bash
nuclei -u https://your-host -t CVE-2024-38475.yaml
Show the template (42 lines)
yaml
id: CVE-2024-38475

info:
  name: "Sonicwal - Code Injection"
  author: vedas-arpsyndicate
  severity: critical
  description: |
    Improper escaping of output in mod_rewrite in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.59 and earlier allows an attacker to map
    URLs to filesystem locations that are permitted to be served by the server but are not intentionally/directly
    reachable by any URL, resulting in code execution or source code disclosure. Substitutions in server context
    that use a backreferences or variables as the first segment of the substitution are affected.
  reference:
    - https://www.exploit.observer/?keyword=CVE-2024-38475&match=exact
    - https://subdomain.center/?engine=ammonites&keyword=sonicwal&match=exact
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
    cvss-score: 9.1
    cve-id: CVE-2024-38475
    cwe-id: CWE-116
  metadata:
    verified: false
  tags: cve,cve2024,sonicwal,sma-100,lfi,kev,vkev,vuln
http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{{BaseURL}}/tmp/temp.db%3f.1.1.1.1a-1.css"
      - "{{BaseURL}}/mnt/ram/var/log/httpd.log%3f.1.1.1.1a-1.css"

    matchers-condition: or
    matchers:
      - type: dsl
        dsl:
          - 'contains_all(body, "SQLite format","sessionId")'
          - 'status_code == 200'
        condition: and

      - type: dsl
        dsl:
          - 'contains_all(body, "mod_antiloris","[pid")'
          - 'contains(content_type, "text/plain")'
          - 'status_code == 200'
        condition: and

CVE-2024-38475.yaml on GitHub

Suricata rules (network detection)

1 rule that alert on traffic matching this exploit: VEDAS CVE-2024-38475 Sonicwal - Code Injection. Add them to your Suricata rule set and reload.

Show the rules
suricata
alert http $EXTERNAL_NET any -> $HTTP_SERVERS $HTTP_PORTS (msg:"VEDAS CVE-2024-38475 Sonicwal - Code Injection"; flow:established,to_server; http.uri; content:"/mnt/ram/var/log/httpd.log%3f.1.1.1.1a-1.css"; nocase; fast_pattern; classtype:web-application-attack; reference:cve,CVE-2024-38475; reference:url,https://www.exploit.observer/?keyword=CVE-2024-38475&match=exact; reference:url,https://subdomain.center/?engine=ammonites&keyword=sonicwal&match=exact; sid:1009651; rev:1;)

CVE-2024-38475.rules on GitHub

References

Vendor advisories and patches

Government sources

Other references

Other databases

Where this comes from

This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, CISA KEV, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer, vedas-signatures. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.