CVE-2008-4298

CVE-2008-4298 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Lighttpd with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-399.

Key facts

• Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 5.0)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (88th percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-399
• Affected product: Lighttpd
• Published: 2008-09-27
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Memory leak in the http_request_parse function in request.c in lighttpd before 1.4.20 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a large number of requests with duplicate request headers.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-4298?

Memory leak in the http_request_parse function in request.c in lighttpd before 1.4.20 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a large number of requests with duplicate request headers.

How severe is CVE-2008-4298?

CVE-2008-4298 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2008-4298 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (88th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2008-4298?

CVE-2008-4298 primarily affects Lighttpd. In total, 54 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-4298?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2008-4298 published?

CVE-2008-4298 was published on 2008-09-27 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=238180
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2008-11/msg00002.html
• http://secunia.com/advisories/32069
• http://secunia.com/advisories/32132
• http://secunia.com/advisories/32480
• http://secunia.com/advisories/32834
• http://secunia.com/advisories/32972
• http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200812-04.xml
• http://trac.lighttpd.net/trac/changeset/2305
• http://trac.lighttpd.net/trac/ticket/1774
• http://wiki.rpath.com/Advisories:rPSA-2008-0309
• http://wiki.rpath.com/wiki/Advisories:rPSA-2008-0309
• http://www.debian.org/security/2008/dsa-1645
• http://www.lighttpd.net/security/lighttpd_sa_2008_07.txt
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/26/5
• http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/497932/100/0/threaded
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/31434
• http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2741
• https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/45471

Affected products (54)

• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.1.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.1.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.1.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.1.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.1.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.1.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.1.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.2.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.2.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.2.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.3.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:lighttpd:lighttpd:1.4.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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All CVEs affecting Lighttpd →

Other CWE-399 (Resource Management Errors) vulnerabilities

• CVE-2015-8104 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel through 4.2.6, and Xen 4.3.x through 4.6.x, allows guest OS users to cause a…
• CVE-2015-0339 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
• CVE-2015-0335 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
• CVE-2015-0333 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
• CVE-2014-4121 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SP2, 3.5, 3.5.1, 4, 4.5, 4.5.1, and 4.5.2 does not properly parse internationalized…
• CVE-2014-0560 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.12 and 11.x before 11.0.09 on Windows and OS…

Browse all CWE-399 (Resource Management Errors) vulnerabilities →

Threat intelligence

Threat-intel indicators referencing this CVE:

• 220.80.66.168 (ipv4-addr)