# CVE-2018-17199: Security feature bypass in Apache HTTP Server

> Attackers can bypass session expiration checks in Apache mod_session, potentially maintaining unauthorized access to user sessions.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/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:** 30 Jan 2019
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2018-17199, CLEANSTART-2026-ZG87448, DEBIAN-CVE-2018-17199, DLA-1647-1, GHSA-gxfm-3qhv-h52c, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-17199

## What is CVE-2018-17199?

CVE-2018-17199 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apache Http Server, published on 30 Jan 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Apache HTTP Server 2.4 release 2.4.37 and prior, mod_session checks the session expiry time before decoding the session. This causes session expiry time to be ignored for mod_session_cookie sessions since the expiry time is loaded when the session is decoded.

Weakness: CWE-384 (Session Fixation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-17199?

It affects 6 products.


Products: Apache Http Server, Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Netapp Santricity Cloud Connector, Netapp Storage Automation Store, Oracle Enterprise Manager Ops Center.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-17199?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-17199 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-17199 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-2018-17199 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-17199 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apache Http Server, published on 30 Jan 2019. 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-2018-17199 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-2018-17199/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17199/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-17199
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-17199
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-17199

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17199/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.