Urgent: 421 Misdirected Request Error on Websites After Apache 2.4.64 Update
Attention cPanel/CloudLinux Users:
A recent update to CloudLinux's ea-apache24-2.4.64 has caused websites using reverse proxies like EA-Nginx or Cloudflare to display "421 Misdirected Request" errors. This issue stems from stricter SSL/TLS handling in Apache 2.4.64, leading to SNI mismatches when proxying HTTPS traffic.
Symptoms
- Websites show "421 Misdirected Request" errors, especially with EA-Nginx or other proxies.
- All hosted sites may be down, impacting user access.
Temporary Fix
cPanel has provided a workaround to resolve this issue:
- Downgrade Apache: Revert to ea-apache24-2.4.63 using the following command:
dnf downgrade ea-apache24-2.4.63 - Version Lock Apache: Prevent automatic updates until a patch is released:
dnf install python3-dnf-plugin-versionlock -y
dnf versionlock add ea-apache24-2.4.63-2.el8.cloudlinux.x86_64 - If using Nginx, ensure any previous hotfixes (e.g., /etc/nginx/conf.d/fixssl.conf) are removed before applying updates, as they may interfere.
Recommendations
- Monitor Updates: Check changelogs and vendor advisories before applying automatic updates to avoid similar issues.
- Backup Strategy: Implement automated rollback and backup systems to quickly recover from unexpected outages.
- Stay Informed: Follow cPanel’s official article for updates on a permanent fix (Case ID: EA4D-684):
cPanel Support Article - Communicate: Notify clients and partners about potential downtime to manage expectations.
Community Feedback
Users report widespread outages, with many discovering the issue only after customer complaints. The temporary downgrade has worked for most, but awareness is low due to the error not always being visible in logs for non-technical users. cPanel’s support has been responsive, but a permanent fix is still pending.
Let’s discuss: Have you encountered this issue? Did the downgrade work for you? Share your experiences and any additional workarounds below!
