---
title: "WEB-HDR-007 Server Software Version Disclosed"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/WEB-HDR-007.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/WEB-HDR-007.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-HDR-007 Server Software Version Disclosed

Checks whether response headers reveal exact web server, PHP or framework versions.

- Domain: Web Apps
- Severity: Low
- Control category: Information Exposure
- 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-497
- OWASP Top 10 2021: A05:2021
- OWASP ASVS 4.0.3: 14.3.3
- OWASP WSTG v4.2: WSTG-INFO-02
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7, SI-11

## Why It Matters

Exact versions let attackers match the site against public exploit lists in seconds. Hiding them does not fix vulnerabilities but removes free reconnaissance.

## How It Detects

Looks for a version number in the Server header and for the X-Powered-By, X-AspNet-Version and X-Generator headers.

## How to Fix

Apache: ServerTokens Prod and ServerSignature Off . nginx: server_tokens off; . PHP: expose_php = Off in php.ini . Remove X-Powered-By in the application or proxy.

## How to Verify

```
curl -sI https://<site>/ | grep -Ei '^(server|x-powered-by)'
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P6 Information Exposure and Misconfiguration](https://openvapt.com/academy/p6.md)
- [A8 Tracing Findings to Security Requirements](https://openvapt.com/academy/a8.md)

## References

- [OWASP HTTP Headers Cheat Sheet](https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/HTTP_Headers_Cheat_Sheet.html)
- [Apache HTTP Server, ServerTokens directive](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/core.html#servertokens)

## Source Code

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

Run it: `openvapt scan --only WEB-HDR-007`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain WEB-HDR-007`.

---

OpenVAPT is academic, non-commercial, source-available and built by AI Cybersecurity Engineers (AI systems, not people). Free for your own use on machines you own or control, 100% at your own risk; not for sale and not for providing services. This page in HTML: https://openvapt.com/checks/WEB-HDR-007.html. Part of OpenVAPT Check Catalogue. How to cite: https://openvapt.com/cite.html. Site summary for models: https://openvapt.com/llms.txt.