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Apache Artificially Long Slash Path Directory Listing Vulnerability

Apache HTTPD is the Apache Web Server, freely distributed and actively maintained by the Apache Software Foundation. It is a freely available and widely used software package, included with various implementations of the UNIX operating system and can be used on Microsoft Windows operating systems.

A problem in the package could allow directory indexing and path discovery. In a default configuration, Apache enables mod_dir, mod_autoindex, and mod_negotiation. However, by sending the Apache server a custom-crafted request consisting of a long path name created artificially by using numerous slashes, an attacker can cause these modules to misbehave, allowing the attacker to escape the error page and to gain a listing of the directory contents.

This vulnerability allows a malicious remote user to launch an information-gathering attack, which could potentially result in a compromise of the system. Additionally, this vulnerability affects all releases of Apache previous to 1.3.19.