# CVE-2023-45802: Apache HTTP Server: HTTP/2 stream memory not reclaimed right away on RST > An attacker can cause memory exhaustion in Apache HTTP Server by repeatedly resetting HTTP/2 streams, leading to denial of service. - **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 23 Oct 2023 - **Updated:** 14 Oct 2024 - **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2023-45802, AZL-31611, AZL-43531, AZL-45147, BELL-CVE-2023-45802, BIT-apache-2023-45802, CLEANSTART-2026-UI43314, CLSA-2026-1778873714, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-45802, GHSA-m4mp-v249-x3mh, OESA-2023-1803, SUSE-SU-2024:3949-1, SUSE-SU-2024:3961-1, SUSE-SU-2024:3962-1, SUSE-SU-2024:3999-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-45802 ## What is CVE-2023-45802? CVE-2023-45802 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apache Http Server, published on 23 Oct 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description When a HTTP/2 stream was reset (RST frame) by a client, there was a time window were the request's memory resources were not reclaimed immediately. Instead, de-allocation was deferred to connection close. A client could send new requests and resets, keeping the connection busy and open and causing the memory footprint to keep on growing. On connection close, all resources were reclaimed, but the process might run out of memory before that. This was found by the reporter during testing of CVE-2023-44487 (HTTP/2 Rapid Reset Exploit) with their own test client. During "normal" HTTP/2 use, the probability to hit this bug is very low. The kept memory would not become noticeable before the connection closes or times out. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.4.58, which fixes the issue. Weakness: CWE-404 (Improper Resource Shutdown or Release) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-45802? 1 open source package ship an affected version, including apache. It affects 3 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `apache` | Bitnami | From 2.4.17 | 2.4.58 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7.1 | All versions | 2.4.51-150200.3.76.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.51-150200.3.76.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.51-150200.3.76.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOS | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOS | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP5 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP5 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP5 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP5 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP6 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP6 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.51-35.66.1 | | `apache2-tls13` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.51-35.66.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.51-150200.3.76.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.51-150200.3.76.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 | All versions | 2.4.51-35.66.1 | | `apache2-tls13` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 | All versions | 2.4.51-35.66.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 | All versions | 2.4.51-150200.3.76.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 | All versions | 2.4.51-150200.3.76.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP4 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP4 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Manager Proxy 4.3 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Manager Proxy 4.3 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Manager Server 4.3 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | SUSE:Manager Server 4.3 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | | `apache2` | openSUSE:Leap 15.5 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.40.1 | | `apache2` | openSUSE:Leap 15.5 | All versions | 2.4.51-150400.6.43.1 | Products: Apache Http Server, Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora. ## How do I fix CVE-2023-45802? Upgrade apache to 2.4.58 or later. ## Is CVE-2023-45802 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-45802 in the wild and no public exploit code. Public exploit code: - CVE-2023-45802 - Apache HTTP/2 Memory Exhaustion DoS Apache versions: 2.4.17 through 2.4.57 Target: Apache/2.4.52 (Ubuntu) - VULNERABLE MehranTurk (M.T) WARNING: For authorized testing in LAB environment only! (github_poc): https://github.com/MehranTurk/CVE-2023-45802 ## 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-2023-45802 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2023-45802 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apache Http Server, published on 23 Oct 2023. 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-2023-45802 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - apache (Bitnami): affected from 2.4.17; fixed in 2.4.58 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-2023-45802/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-45802/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-45802 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-45802 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-45802 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-45802/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.