CVE-2017-5650 : What You Need to Know

Apache Tomcat versions 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M18 and 8.5.0 to 8.5.12 were affected by a vulnerability that allowed a malicious client to consume all available processing threads by creating a sequence of HTTP/2 requests.

Understanding CVE-2017-5650

From Apache Tomcat versions 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M18 and 8.5.0 to 8.5.12, a denial of service vulnerability was present due to improper handling of HTTP/2 GOAWAY frames.

What is CVE-2017-5650?

In Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M18 and 8.5.0 to 8.5.12, a flaw allowed a malicious client to exhaust processing threads by crafting specific HTTP/2 requests.

The Impact of CVE-2017-5650

The vulnerability could be exploited by a remote attacker to launch a denial of service attack, causing the server to become unresponsive.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-5650

Apache Tomcat versions 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M18 and 8.5.0 to 8.5.12 were susceptible to a denial of service vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue stemmed from the mishandling of HTTP/2 GOAWAY frames, leading to the exhaustion of processing threads by a malicious client.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Apache Tomcat
Vendor: Apache Software Foundation
Versions: 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M18, 8.5.0 to 8.5.12

Exploitation Mechanism

A malicious client could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP/2 requests, consuming all available processing threads.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take:

Apply the necessary security patches provided by Apache Software Foundation.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity that could indicate exploitation of the vulnerability. Long-Term Security Practices:
Regularly update and patch Apache Tomcat to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Implement network security measures to detect and prevent denial of service attacks.
Stay informed about security advisories and best practices to enhance overall system security.
Regularly review and update security configurations to align with industry standards and recommendations.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that the affected Apache Tomcat versions (9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M18 and 8.5.0 to 8.5.12) are updated with the latest security patches to address the vulnerability.