---
title: "WEB-APA-002 Apache TRACE Method Enabled"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/WEB-APA-002.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/WEB-APA-002.html
site: OpenVAPT, https://openvapt.com/
license: OpenVAPT Source-Available Licence 1.3, https://openvapt.com/legal/licence-text.html
modified: 2026-10-14
version: 0.1.0-alpha.6
---

# WEB-APA-002 Apache TRACE Method Enabled

TraceEnable is not set to Off, so the HTTP TRACE method echoes requests back to the client.

- Domain: Web Apps
- Severity: Low
- Control category: Secure Configuration
- Fix effort: low
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`
- CIS Controls v8: 16.7
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.PS-01
- CWE: CWE-1188, CWE-749
- OWASP Top 10 2021: A05:2021
- OWASP ASVS 4.0.3: 14.5.1
- OWASP WSTG v4.2: WSTG-CONF-06
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7
- Benchmark topic: HTTP methods allowed by the web server (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

TRACE reflects request headers, including cookies and authorisation, which older cross-site tracing attacks used to read them from the browser. No production site needs it.

## How It Detects

Reads the Apache configuration tree for TraceEnable. Fails when the directive is absent (default On) or set to On or Extended.

## How to Fix

Add  TraceEnable Off  to the server configuration and reload.

## How to Verify

```
curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' -X TRACE https://<site>/  should print 405.
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P18 Web Server Hardening: nginx and Apache](https://openvapt.com/academy/p18.md)

## References

- [Apache HTTP Server, TraceEnable directive](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/core.html#traceenable)
- [OWASP WSTG-CONF-06, Test HTTP Methods](https://wstg.owasp.org/v4.2/4-Web_Application_Security_Testing/02-Configuration_and_Deployment_Management_Testing/06-Test_HTTP_Methods/)

## Source Code

https://github.com/OpenVAPT/openvapt/blob/574f7f3333c44b75a3c649e2d93a76d507f75adf/internal/checks/web/serverconf.go

Run it: `openvapt scan --only WEB-APA-002`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain WEB-APA-002`.

---

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