---
title: "CVE-2026-73636: Apache HTTP Server - Authentication Bypass"
description: "Apache Software Foundation Apache HTTP Server 2.4.x contains an authentication bypass caused by replaying captured digest authentication credentials via crafted requests triggering garbage collection in mod_auth_digest, letting man-in-the-middle attackers bypass authentication, exploit requires AuthDigestNonceLifetime set to 0."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-73636/
---

# CVE-2026-73636 Apache HTTP Server - Authentication Bypass

Apache Software Foundation Apache HTTP Server 2.4.x contains an authentication bypass caused by replaying captured digest authentication credentials via crafted requests triggering garbage collection in mod\_auth\_digest, letting man-in-the-middle attackers bypass authentication, exploit requires AuthDigestNonceLifetime set to 0.

CVSS base score 8.1 /10

High

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

EPSS

0.41% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-73636)

## Details

Type

Authentication Bypass

Impact

Broken Authentication

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Published

1 October 2026

Updated

15 October 2026

Weakness

[CWE-294](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/294.html)

## Vendor fix

Upgrade to version 2.4.69.

Patching closes this CVE. It does not tell you which of your systems run the affected version, or what else is exposed alongside them.

## References

- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-73636](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-73636)
- [https://httpd.apache.org/security/vulnerabilities\_24.html](https://httpd.apache.org/security/vulnerabilities_24.html)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/10/01/27](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/10/01/27)

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## What this record can't tell you

- Whether you run the affected software, and where
- Whether an attacker can actually reach and exploit it
- The misconfigurations that never get a CVE number
- What it would cost the business, ranked into what to fix first

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