---
id: efd03ec3-5711-411a-9cdd-789b101465d6
---

# Tomcat HTTP Request Headers or Payload Size Exceeds Limits.
---

This incident type occurs when the size of HTTP request headers or payload exceeds the limits set by Tomcat server. When this happens, the server may reject the request or return an error message, causing disruption to the normal functioning of the web application. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including large file uploads, excessive use of cookies or query parameters, or attacks that intentionally send oversized requests.

### Parameters
```shell
export PATH_TO_CONFIG_FILE="PLACEHOLDER"

export URL="PLACEHOLDER"

export TOKEN="PLACEHOLDER"

export NEW_MAXIMUM_SIZE="PLACEHOLDER"

export PATH_TO_TOMCAT_CONFIG_FILE="PLACEHOLDER"
```

## Debug

### Check the current open file limit
```shell
ulimit -n
```

### Check the maximum size limit for HTTP requests
```shell
grep -i "LimitRequest" ${PATH_TO_CONFIG_FILE}
```

### Check the maximum size limit for HTTP POST requests
```shell
grep -i "LimitRequestBody" ${PATH_TO_CONFIG_FILE}
```

### Check the current size of the HTTP request headers
```shell
curl -I -X GET -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" ${URL} | grep -i "content-length"
```

### Check the current size of the HTTP request payload
```shell
curl -X GET -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" ${URL} | wc -c
```

## Repair

### Increase the maximum allowable size for HTTP request headers or payload in Tomcat configuration.
```shell


#!/bin/bash



# Set the configuration file path

CONFIG_FILE=${PATH_TO_TOMCAT_CONFIG_FILE}



# Set the maximum size for HTTP request headers or payload

MAX_SIZE=${NEW_MAXIMUM_SIZE}



# Update the Tomcat configuration file with the new maximum size

sed -i "s/<Connector port=\"8080\"/<Connector port=\"8080\" maxHttpHeaderSize=\"$MAX_SIZE\"/" $CONFIG_FILE



# Restart Tomcat to apply the changes

systemctl restart tomcat


```

This incident type occurs when the size of HTTP request headers or payload exceeds the limits set by Tomcat server. When this happens, the server may reject the request or return an error message, causing disruption to the normal functioning of the web application. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including large file uploads, excessive use of cookies or query parameters, or attacks that intentionally send oversized requests.


When too many requests are sent to a Tomcat server, the thread pools that handle these requests can run out of available threads. This means that incoming requests will not be processed, leading to service degradation or even a complete outage. This incident type is critical for web applications that rely on Tomcat as their application server.


Tomcat thread pool exhaustion.

Tomcat Server Crash incident type refers to a situation where the Tomcat Server, an open-source web server and servlet container, becomes unresponsive and stops functioning. This can result in a complete or partial system outage, leading to a disruption in the delivery of web applications and services. The root cause of the crash can be attributed to a variety of factors such as misconfiguration, network or hardware issues, software bugs, or excessive server load. It is critical to address this incident quickly to minimize the impact on users and restore normal system functionality.


Tomcat Server Crash

This incident type usually occurs when there is a failure in the SSL Handshake process between a client and server running on a Tomcat web server. This can happen for various reasons such as incorrect SSL certificate configuration, cipher suite mismatches, or network connectivity issues. When this type of incident is not resolved quickly, it can lead to downtime or service disruptions for users trying to access the affected service.


Tomcat SSL Handshake Failure Incident

This incident type occurs when the PermGen or Metaspace usage of the Tomcat server exceeds 90%. PermGen and Metaspace are memory pools used for storing class definitions and metadata of the Java virtual machine (JVM). When these memory pools reach their maximum capacity, the server may experience performance issues or even crash. This incident requires immediate attention from the software engineer to investigate the root cause and take appropriate actions to resolve the issue.


Tomcat PermGen or Metaspace Usage exceeds 90%

This incident type is related to the Tomcat server, which is a popular open-source Java application server. It occurs when the available threads in the connection pool are running low, which means that there are not enough resources to serve incoming requests. This can cause delays or even failures in the application's performance, impacting the end-user experience. It is important to monitor and address this issue promptly to ensure that the application runs smoothly and efficiently.


Tomcat Low Available Threads in Connection Pool

```shell
export PATH_TO_CONFIG_FILE="PLACEHOLDER"

export URL="PLACEHOLDER"

export TOKEN="PLACEHOLDER"

export NEW_MAXIMUM_SIZE="PLACEHOLDER"

export PATH_TO_TOMCAT_CONFIG_FILE="PLACEHOLDER"
```


### Check the current open file limit

```shell
ulimit -n
```

### Check the maximum size limit for HTTP requests

```shell
grep -i "LimitRequest" ${PATH_TO_CONFIG_FILE}
```

### Check the maximum size limit for HTTP POST requests

```shell
grep -i "LimitRequestBody" ${PATH_TO_CONFIG_FILE}
```

### Check the current size of the HTTP request headers

```shell
curl -I -X GET -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" ${URL} | grep -i "content-length"
```

### Check the current size of the HTTP request payload

```shell
curl -X GET -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" ${URL} | wc -c
```


### Increase the maximum allowable size for HTTP request headers or payload in Tomcat configuration.

```shell


#!/bin/bash



# Set the configuration file path

CONFIG_FILE=${PATH_TO_TOMCAT_CONFIG_FILE}



# Set the maximum size for HTTP request headers or payload

MAX_SIZE=${NEW_MAXIMUM_SIZE}



# Update the Tomcat configuration file with the new maximum size

sed -i "s/<Connector port=\"8080\"/<Connector port=\"8080\" maxHttpHeaderSize=\"$MAX_SIZE\"/" $CONFIG_FILE



# Restart Tomcat to apply the changes

systemctl restart tomcat


```


Tomcat HTTP Request Headers or Payload Size Exceeds Limits.

Overview

Parameters

Debug

Check the current open file limit

Check the maximum size limit for HTTP requests

Check the maximum size limit for HTTP POST requests

Check the current size of the HTTP request headers

Check the current size of the HTTP request payload

Repair

Increase the maximum allowable size for HTTP request headers or payload in Tomcat configuration.

Learn more

Related Runbooks

Tomcat thread pool exhaustion.

Tomcat Server Crash

Tomcat SSL Handshake Failure Incident

Tomcat PermGen or Metaspace Usage exceeds 90%

Support