# CVE-2014-3581: Null dereference in n/a

> Remote attackers can crash the Apache HTTP Server by sending an empty HTTP Content-Type header, causing a denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 Oct 2014
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2014-3581, GHSA-fp3c-hq6w-q3rf, UBUNTU-CVE-2014-3581

## What is CVE-2014-3581?

CVE-2014-3581 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apache Http Server, published on 10 Oct 2014. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The cache_merge_headers_out function in modules/cache/cache_util.c in the mod_cache module in the Apache HTTP Server before 2.4.11 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and application crash) via an empty HTTP Content-Type header.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-3581?

It affects 9 products.


Products: Apache Http Server, Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Oracle Enterprise Manager Ops Center, Oracle Linux, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Tus.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-3581?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2014-3581 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-3581 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Http Server

- [CVE-2021-42013](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42013/): Apache HTTP Server Path Traversal (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-38475](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38475/): Apache HTTP Server Improper Escaping of Output (critical 9.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-40438](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40438/): Apache HTTP Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) (critical 9.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-0211](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-0211/): Apache HTTP Server Privilege Escalation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-41773](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41773/): Apache HTTP Server Path Traversal (high 7.5, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-3581 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-3581 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apache Http Server, published on 10 Oct 2014. 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-2014-3581 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apache Http Server. 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-2014-3581/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3581/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-3581
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-3581
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-3581

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3581/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.