CVE-2024-3184
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause denial of service (DoS) by crashing GoAhead Web Server through NULL pointer dereference. It affects GoAhead Web Server versions up to 6.0.0 when compiled with the ME_GOAHEAD_REPLACE_MALLOC flag. Organizations using this specific configuration are vulnerable to service disruption.
💻 Affected Systems
- GoAhead Web Server
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete service outage of the web server, requiring manual restart and causing extended downtime for dependent applications.
Likely Case
Service crash and temporary DoS until the server is restarted, potentially disrupting web applications and services.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper monitoring and automated restart mechanisms in place, though service interruptions may still occur.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending malicious requests to trigger NULL pointer dereference. No authentication needed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Version 6.0.1 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.nozominetworks.com/labs/vulnerability-advisories-cve-2024-3184
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download GoAhead Web Server version 6.0.1 or later from official sources. 2. Replace existing installation with patched version. 3. Restart the web server service. 4. Verify the server is running correctly.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable ME_GOAHEAD_REPLACE_MALLOC flag
linuxRecompile GoAhead Web Server without the vulnerable ME_GOAHEAD_REPLACE_MALLOC flag
make clean
make ME_GOAHEAD_REPLACE_MALLOC=0
sudo make install
Implement request filtering
allUse web application firewall or reverse proxy to filter malicious requests
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement network segmentation to isolate vulnerable servers from untrusted networks
- Deploy monitoring and automated restart scripts to minimize downtime from crashes
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check GoAhead version and compilation flags. If version <= 6.0.0 and compiled with ME_GOAHEAD_REPLACE_MALLOC flag, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
goahead --version 2>/dev/null || strings /path/to/goahead | grep -i versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify GoAhead version is 6.0.1 or later, or confirm ME_GOAHEAD_REPLACE_MALLOC flag is disabled in compilation.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Segmentation fault errors in server logs
- Unexpected server restarts
- NULL pointer dereference error messages
Network Indicators:
- Sudden drop in server responses
- Connection resets from web server
- Abnormal request patterns targeting server
SIEM Query:
source="goahead.log" AND ("segmentation fault" OR "null pointer" OR "SIGSEGV")