title: Tons of 404 errors in Apache httpd log for static files with wrong Path
body: <p>We have an Apache in front of a Tomcat, with the Tomcat serving both static and dynamic content. The Tomcat has gotten terribly slow since the number of users on the system increased, and we are trying to pinpoint the cause. We have other servers with double the number of open sessions in Tomcat with no problem.</p>
  
  <p>In the Apache httpd log I am seeing thousands of 404 errors for static files with paths that don't exist in our application. The files exist and the path almost looks right, but it contains duplications and parts of other file paths in the system.</p>
  
  <p>Example: we have this file in our system:</p>
  
  <pre><code>/assets/img/menu-toggler.png
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>In the httpd log I can see this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[02/Oct/2014:12:22:16 +1000] "GET /assets/assets/css/assets/plugins/jqvmap/assets/assets/img/menu-toggler.png HTTP/1.1" 404 11947 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible;)"
  [02/Oct/2014:12:22:16 +1000] "GET /assets/assets/plugins/gritter/assets/plugins/fullcalendar/assets/assets/img/menu-toggler.png HTTP/1.1" 404 11947 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible;)"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>We have the folders <code>assets</code>, <code>plugins</code>, <code>jquery-validation</code>, etc in the system, but certainly not nested like that. </p>
  
  <p>We also have correct GET requests for that file</p>
  
  <pre><code>[02/Oct/2014:12:37:23 +1000] "GET /assets/img/menu-toggler.png HTTP/1.1" 200 948 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible;)"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I believe that all these 404 errors are causing Tomcat to be slow. Question is: what could cause such weird GET requests with paths in the system that don't exist?</p>