What to Know:
– A new vulnerability called HTTP/2 Rapid Reset has been discovered that affects virtually every modern server.
– The vulnerability allows an attacker to launch a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack on a website or server.
– The vulnerability affects sites that use the HTTP/2 protocol, which is widely used by major websites and servers.
– The vulnerability was publicly released by a security researcher, which means that attackers now have access to the information needed to exploit it.
– The vulnerability can be mitigated by implementing certain security measures, such as rate limiting and traffic filtering.
The Full Story:
A new vulnerability called HTTP/2 Rapid Reset has been discovered that affects virtually every modern server. The vulnerability allows an attacker to launch a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack on a website or server, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users.
The vulnerability affects sites that use the HTTP/2 protocol, which is widely used by major websites and servers. HTTP/2 is the latest version of the HTTP protocol, which is used to transfer data between a web server and a web browser. It offers several performance improvements over the previous version, including faster page load times and reduced latency.
The vulnerability was publicly released by a security researcher, which means that attackers now have access to the information needed to exploit it. This increases the risk of DDoS attacks targeting websites and servers that use the HTTP/2 protocol.
The vulnerability works by exploiting a feature of the HTTP/2 protocol called “Rapid Reset.” When a client sends a request to a server using the HTTP/2 protocol, the server responds with a “RST_STREAM” frame to indicate that the request has been canceled. However, the vulnerability allows an attacker to send a specially crafted request that triggers a rapid succession of “RST_STREAM” frames, overwhelming the server and causing it to become unresponsive.
The impact of a DDoS attack can be significant, as it can result in a website or server being inaccessible to legitimate users for an extended period of time. This can lead to financial losses, damage to reputation, and disruption of services.
To mitigate the vulnerability, website and server administrators can implement certain security measures. One approach is to implement rate limiting, which involves setting limits on the number of requests that can be processed within a certain time period. This can help prevent an attacker from overwhelming the server with a rapid succession of requests.
Another approach is to implement traffic filtering, which involves analyzing incoming traffic and blocking any requests that appear to be malicious or suspicious. This can help identify and block DDoS attacks before they can cause significant damage.
It is also recommended to keep software and systems up to date with the latest security patches and updates. This can help protect against known vulnerabilities and reduce the risk of exploitation.
In conclusion, the HTTP/2 Rapid Reset vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites and servers that use the HTTP/2 protocol. The vulnerability allows attackers to launch DDoS attacks, rendering a website or server inaccessible to legitimate users. Website and server administrators should take steps to mitigate the vulnerability, such as implementing rate limiting and traffic filtering, and keeping software and systems up to date with the latest security patches and updates.
Original article: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/http-2-rapid-reset-vulnerability/498178/