# CVE-2011-1176: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Remote attackers can gain root privileges by exploiting improper configuration handling in the mpm-itk Apache module when specific settings are used.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 29 Mar 2011
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2011-1176, DSA-2202-1, GHSA-8jf9-2rj5-99gg

## What is CVE-2011-1176?

CVE-2011-1176 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 29 Mar 2011. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The configuration merger in itk.c in the Steinar H. Gunderson mpm-itk Multi-Processing Module 2.2.11-01 and 2.2.11-02 for the Apache HTTP Server does not properly handle certain configuration sections that specify NiceValue but not AssignUserID, which might allow remote attackers to gain privileges by leveraging the root uid and root gid of an mpm-itk process.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-1176?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Mpm-Itk Project Mpm-Itk.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-1176?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2011-1176 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-1176 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2011-1176 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-1176 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 29 Mar 2011. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-1176 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1176/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1176/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-1176
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-1176
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-1176

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1176/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.