Description
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Apache 2.2.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via UTF-7 encoded URLs that are not properly handled when displaying the 403 Forbidden error page.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | apache2 | 2.2.8-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | apache2 | 2.2.8-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | apache2 | 2.2.8-1 | — |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 2 - UTF-7 HTTP Response Handling EDB-31759 · remote · May 8, 2008 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
References
- 3889 third-party-advisory
- apache-403-xss(42303) vdb-entry
- 34219 third-party-advisory
- 20080512 Re: Re: Re: Apache Server HTML Injection and UTF-7 XSS Vulnerability mailing-list
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:5143 vdb-entry signature
- HPSBUX02465 vendor-advisory
- 31651 third-party-advisory
- SSRT090085 vendor-advisory
- 29112 vdb-entry
- USN-731-1 vendor-advisory
- HPSBUX02365 vendor-advisory
- 20080510 Re: Apache Server HTML Injection and UTF-7 XSS Vulnerability mailing-list
- 20080508 Apache Server HTML Injection and UTF-7 XSS Vulnerability mailing-list
- 20080510 Re: Re: Apache Server HTML Injection and UTF-7 XSS Vulnerability mailing-list
- 35650 third-party-advisory