rk-000/pixel-flood-attack
PoC for CVE-2024-22393: Pixel Flood DoS in Apache Answer ≤1.2.1. Upload crafted 5KB image with fake 64Kx64K dimensions. Server allocates memory for 4B+ pixels and crashes. Find targets via "Powered by Apache Answer." Check bounty program rules before testing—DoS testing is often prohibited.
Pixel Flood Bug for Web Servers
A lightweight Proof-of-Concept to test for the Pixel Flood memory exhaustion vulnerability in web applications running vulnerable versions of Apache Answer.
This repository contains a Proof-of-Concept for CVE-2024-22393, a critical vulnerability in Apache Answer (versions up to 1.2.1) that allows authenticated attackers to crash the server using a specially crafted image file. The attack is also known as a "Pixel Flood" or "Image Dimension DoS."
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| CVE ID | CVE-2024-22393 |
| CVSS Score | 9.1 (Critical) |
| CWE | CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload) |
| Attack Vector | Remote |
| Privileges Required | Low (Authenticated User) |
| Impact | Denial of Service (Memory Exhaustion) |
The exploit works by uploading a tiny image (approx. 5KB) with falsified EXIF metadata declaring massive dimensions (e.g., 64,250 x 64,250 pixels). When the vulnerable server attempts to process this image, it tries to allocate memory for over 4.1 billion pixels, causing complete memory exhaustion and application crash.
This repository contains a malicious image file (pixel-flood.jpg) crafted to trigger the memory exhaustion bug.
Identify Target - Find websites running Apache Answer
"Powered by Apache Answer" or inurl:/questions intitle:"Apache Answer"Authenticate - Log in with a valid user account
Upload - Navigate to any image upload feature and upload pixel-flood.jpg
Verify - Monitor the server response
Document - Capture evidence for your report
# Using cURL (adjust endpoint as needed)
curl -X POST -F "[email protected]" https://target-site.com/api/upload -b "session=cookie"