CVE-2019-0211

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

In Apache HTTP Server 2.4 releases 2.4.17 to 2.4.38 using the event, worker, or prefork MPMs, a use-after-free condition tracked as CWE-416 allows code running in less-privileged child processes or threads, including scripts executed by in-process interpreters, to manipulate the scoreboard and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the parent process, which is typically root. The flaw is restricted to Unix systems; non-Unix platforms are unaffected. The vulnerability received a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 under the vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

An attacker who can execute code within a worker or script context, such as through a compromised CGI script or in-process module, can leverage the scoreboard to escalate privileges to those of the parent httpd process. Successful exploitation grants full control over the server process, enabling actions such as reading or modifying any file accessible to root and potentially compromising the entire host.

Advisories from OpenSUSE and Slackware, along with exploit references on PacketStorm, point to vendor updates that address the issue in affected packages; administrators are expected to apply the corresponding httpd patches to eliminate the scoreboard manipulation vector.