Apache/PHP errors.log and access.log weird messages

Question

Since yesterday, my Apache/PHP server started to log weird messages: Here are excerpts from the logs. error.log:

[Mon Sep 05 12:37:25 2011] [warn] (OS 64)The specified network name is no longer available.  : winnt_accept: Asynchronous AcceptEx failed.
[Mon Sep 05 12:37:25 2011] [error] [client 77.85.194.198] Invalid URI in request \xec\x18\rN\x03.\xe7\x8c\xe46Cg\x85\x1a\xab\xca
[Mon Sep 05 12:43:37 2011] [warn] (OS 121)The semaphore timeout period has expired.  : winnt_accept: Asynchronous AcceptEx failed.

access.log:

178.37.24.223 - - [05/Sep/2011:12:36:41 +0200] "\xe80'y\xecT\xe5\xb7+\xba\x94\x92\xe4\xe4\xd6\x01Q\"\xe9p\x94\xe3" 200 2977 "-" "-"
77.85.194.198 - - [05/Sep/2011:12:37:25 +0200] "\xec\x18\rN\x03.\xe7\x8c\xe46Cg\x85\x1a\xab\xca" 400 226 "-" "-"
213.87.136.107 - - [05/Sep/2011:12:38:09 +0200] ">R1\x83\xa6\xf5\"\xd3\xe6\x85" 200 2977 "-" "-"
68.10.170.135 - - [05/Sep/2011:12:39:23 +0200] "-" 408 - "-" "-"
89.137.238.149 - - [05/Sep/2011:12:39:46 +0200] "-" 408 - "-" "-"
81.85.202.246 - - [05/Sep/2011:12:41:06 +0200] "-" 408 - "-" "-"
184.164.16.92 - - [05/Sep/2011:12:43:10 +0200] "\x02\xe0\x9fQ\xa1\x89s\x8d\x04\x1f\xb3o\xbc2I\xc4\x1f`>\xfd\x8b&Z\xae\xc0>" 200 2977 "-" "-"
208.54.44.237 - - [05/Sep/2011:12:44:39 +0200] "Zv\xa2\x05\xda\xc9\xe3\x17\xff\x18\xea\xd0}s\x88\xb8\xd3\xf6a\xee\xd6\xad\xf7\x8f|yoU+'\x9c\xea\xb4V_\xc8\x1b" 200 2977 "-" "-"
41.78.80.112 - - [05/Sep/2011:12:44:48 +0200] "\xc9\xbf\xc3!{hv:\x84\x83\x03\xeb\x1d\xd0,\xb5" 200 2977 "-" "-"

This is only a development server, but I have allowed all access in the .htaccess file, so I don't know what is going on. Any idea?

Answer 1

As long as you keep your Apache patched, there won't be a problem. These are known exploits that hackers (usually through a botnet) are trying on every IP on port 80. It isn't specifically aimed at your server, more a 'fire at will' attack, hoping someone runs an older version of Apache which is known to be vulnerable against such attacks.