CVE-2026-48913
Description
A flaw was found in the Apache HTTP Server's mod_http2 module. This vulnerability, known as a Use After Free, occurs when the server's file handles are exhausted. An attacker could potentially exploit this to cause a denial of service or, in some cases, execute arbitrary code, leading to system compromise.
Statement
A use-after-free vulnerability exists in the Apache HTTP Server mod_http2 module when system file handles are exhausted. A remote attacker could trigger this flaw via HTTP/2 requests to cause a denial of service (crash) or memory corruption.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, disable the `mod_http2` module if HTTP/2 protocol support is not required. This can be achieved by commenting out or removing the `LoadModule http2_module modules/mod_http2.so` line in the Apache HTTP Server configuration file (e.g., `/etc/httpd/conf.modules.d/00-base.conf` or similar).
After modifying the configuration, the httpd service must be restarted for the changes to take effect. This action may impact services relying on HTTP/2.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7.3 | N/A | 7.3 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | None |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | Low | N/A | Low |
| Integrity Impact | Low | N/A | Low |
| Availability Impact | Low | N/A | Low |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Read Memory
If the expired pointer is used in a read operation, an attacker might be able to control data read in by the application.
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
If the expired pointer references a memory location that is not accessible to the product, or points to a location that is "malformed" (such as NULL) or larger than expected by a read or write operation, then a crash may occur.
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
If the expired pointer is used in a function call, or points to unexpected data in a write operation, then code execution may be possible.
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