slowhttptest

SlowHTTPTest is designed to test web servers for vulnerabilities to slow HTTP DoS attacks that consume server resources with low bandwidth. These attacks exploit connection pooling and resource management by keeping connections open with minimal data transfer, leading to denial of service without high traffic volumes.

Use cases include security testing of web applications and servers to identify weaknesses against Slowloris (slow headers), Slow HTTP POST (slow body), Slow Read (TCP persist timer exploit), and Apache Range Header attacks that cause excessive memory and CPU usage. It helps administrators harden servers by simulating real-world attack scenarios.

The tool generates detailed statistics on connection states and supports proxy configurations for realistic testing environments.

SlowHTTPTest operates at the application layer by establishing multiple concurrent HTTP connections to the target server and sending data slowly or incompletely. In Slowloris mode (-H), it sends partial headers over time to keep connections open. Slow body (-B) sends Content-Length headers followed by data in small intervals. Slow Read (-X) drains response buffers slowly using advertised window sizes and read intervals. Range attack (-R) exploits Range headers to force massive resource consumption. It tracks socket states like pending, connected, error, and closed, reporting service availability.