PI70372: MOD_MVSDS SERVES A PLAIN TEXT FILE AS AN HTML PAGE IF IT CONTAINS ANY STRING STARTING WITH A '<' AND ENDING WITH A '>'.

Fixes are available

APAR status

Closed as program error.

Error description

A text file that has a pair of angle brackets <
and > can confuse mod_mvsds into thinking that the page is an
HTML page.

Local fix

```
Use "forcetype text/plain"
```

Problem summary

****************************************************************
* USERS AFFECTED:  Users of IBM HTTP Server (powered by        *
*                  Apache).                                    *
****************************************************************
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: mod_mvsds will serve a text file as an  *
*                      text/html content-type if it contains   *
*                      both                                    *
*                      '<' with a '>'.                         *
****************************************************************
* RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
****************************************************************
mod_mvsds will serve a text file as an HTML page if it
contains a string starting with a '<' and ending with a '>'.
For example, a text file containing the string "This string
has a <pair of angle brackets>" to be served with a
Content-Type of text/html.
A noticeable symptom of a text file being served with a
Content-Type of text/html is that extraneous whitespace will
be stripped from the response.

Problem conclusion

The directive MvsdsAlternateHtmlSniff was added to IBM HTTP
Server to better detect between HTML and plain text files.
Setting MvsdsAlternateHtmlSniff to ON will enable the
alternate HTML sniffing strategy.

More information on the alternate HTML sniffing strategy can
be found at
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/httpserv/manual24/mod/mod_mvsds.ht
ml

This fix is targeted for IBM HTTP Server fix packs:
 - 7.0.0.43
 - 8.0.0.13
 - 8.5.5.12
 - 9.0.0.3

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

APAR number
PI70372
Reported component name
WAS IHS ZOS
Reported component ID
5655I3510
Reported release
850
Status
CLOSED PER
PE
NoPE
HIPER
NoHIPER
Special Attention
NoSpecatt / Xsystem
Submitted date
2016-10-07
Closed date
2016-11-03
Last modified date
2016-11-03

APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:
APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

Fixed component name
WAS IHS ZOS
Fixed component ID
5655I3510

Applicable component levels

R700 PSY
UP

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU059","label":"IBM Software w\/o TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SS7K4U","label":"WebSphere Application Server for z\/OS"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"8.5","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
04 May 2022

Tips

PI70372: MOD_MVSDS SERVES A PLAIN TEXT FILE AS AN HTML PAGE IF IT CONTAINS ANY STRING STARTING WITH A '<' AND ENDING WITH A '>'.

Fixes are available

Subscribe

APAR status

Closed as program error.

Error description

Local fix

Problem summary

Problem conclusion

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

APAR number

Reported component name

Reported component ID

Reported release

Status

PE

HIPER

Special Attention

Submitted date

Closed date

Last modified date

APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

Fixed component name

Fixed component ID

Applicable component levels

R700 PSY

Document Information

Share your feedback

Need support?