Apache patches Web server DoS vulnerability

Computerworld - The Apache open-source project patched its Web server software Tuesday to quash a bug that a denial-of-service (DoS) tool has been exploiting.

Apache 2.2.20, released Tuesday, plugs the hole used by "Apache Killer," an attack tool that hackers have been using for more than a week to cripple Web servers.

On Aug. 24, project developers had promised a fix within 48 hours, then revised the timetable two days later to 24 hours. The security advisory did not explain the delay.

Earlier, the project had offered Web server administrators ways to protect their systems until a patch was available.

"We consider this release to be the best version of Apache available, and encourage users of all prior versions to upgrade," Tuesday's advisory stated.

Although the DoS vulnerability also exists in the older Apache 1.3, the project no longer supports that edition.

According to an update to the original advisory that Apache published last week, the fix reduces the amount of memory used by HTTP requests, and "weeds out or simplifies requests deemed too unwieldy."

Although the update patched the bug that Apache Killer exploited, Apache acknowledged that part of the problem lies in the HTTP protocol itself. As it noted the problem's history -- Michal Zalewski, a Google security engineer, first mentioned it in 2007 -- Apache said it was "an issue for (probably all) webservers and currently subject of an IETF discussion to change the protocol." The International Engineering Task Force (IETF) is one of several Internet standard-setting groups.

"The Apache team should be applauded for testing and releasing an important security fix so quickly," said Chet Wisniewski, a security researcher with U.K.-based Sophos, in a blog post early today.

Others, however, have pointed out that because Apple bundles Apache with Mac OS X and maintains the software via its operating system updates, users running a Mac-based server will have to wait for Apple to deliver a fix.

"It will be interesting to see how Apple rates the bug and how quickly they patch," said Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle, in an interview last week..

According to statistics kept by Netcraft, Apache powers 65.2% of all Web servers currently in use.

Gregg Keizer covers Microsoft, security issues, Apple, Web browsers and general technology breaking news for Computerworld. Follow Gregg on Twitter at @gkeizer or subscribe to Gregg's RSS feed . His e-mail address is gkeizer@computerworld.com.

Read more about Malware and Vulnerabilities in Computerworld's Malware and Vulnerabilities Topic Center.