Critical bug does a Custer on Apache for Windows

Older versions of the Windows flavour of Apache's web server software are vulnerable to a critical code injection flaw as well as a pair of lesser security bugs.

The most dire of three security bugs in a core component of version 2.2.14 of Apache, and possibly earlier releases of the software, creates a mechanism for hackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems, Australian firm Sense of Security warns.

The vulnerability stems from a bug in mod_isapi - a core module that implements the Internet Server extension API - and can be fixed by upgrading to the latest 2.2.15 version of Apache for Windows.

Sense of Security has published benign proof of concept code and a video designed to illustrate the risk posed by not upgrading. As well as the obvious defacement risk posed by the vulnerability, the security bug creates a means for hackers to seize control of vulnerable servers to extract data or plant malware.

An advisory by Secunia explains that the same Apache update fixes two lesser and unrelated flaws that pose denial of service and information disclosure risks, as explained here. ®