Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server Improper Authorization Vulnerability
Atlassian · Confluence Data Center and Server
An improper authorization flaw in Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server allows an attacker to reset the instance and create a new administrator account. An unauthenticated attacker with network access to the instance, requiring no user interaction or special configuration, can use that account to perform any instance administrator action, compromising confidentiality, integrity and availability.
All versions of Confluence Data Center and Server are affected by this unexploited vulnerability. This Improper Authorization vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker to reset Confluence and create a Confluence instance administrator account. Using this account, an attacker can then perform all administrative actions that are available to Confluence instance administrator leading to - but not limited to - full loss of confidentiality, integrity and availability. Atlassian Cloud sites are not affected by this vulnerability. If your Confluence site is accessed via an atlassian.net domain, it is hosted by Atlassian and is not vulnerable to this issue.
- Exploited
- Yes, in CISA KEV
- Reports
- 0
- Tactics
- 3/15
How an attack unfolds
Based on MITRE ATT&CKA public catalogue of the techniques attackers use, maintained by MITRE. Patchfirst uses it to describe what attackers do with a vulnerability. mappings. Select a step to see the evidence.Exploitation timelineDated milestones for a CVE: when it was disclosed, when exploit code became public, when exploitation was confirmed, and when threat reports named it.
First seen exploited 6 days after disclosure. Public exploit code (PoC-in-GitHub) was available the same day.
- First seen exploitedVulnCheck KEV evidence+6 days
- Added to CISA KEVknown ransomware use; EU database agrees+7 days
CISA KEV listing is when exploitation was confirmed, not necessarily the first attack.
MITRE ATT&CKA public catalogue of the techniques attackers use, maintained by MITRE. Patchfirst uses it to describe what attackers do with a vulnerability. techniques
3 TechniqueOne specific attacker behaviour in MITRE ATT&CK, such as T1190 “Exploit Public-Facing Application”. IDs with a dot, like T1059.004, are sub-techniques., grouped by TacticThe attacker’s goal at a stage of an attack in MITRE ATT&CK, such as Initial Access or Persistence. Each technique belongs to one or more tactics. in kill-chain order 3Initial AccessTA0001
CVE-2023-22518 is an improper authorization vulnerability. Adversaries have been seen using HTTP POST requests to upload maliciously-crafted zip files to Confluence WebServers to exploit this vulnerability. After exploitation, adversaries were observed doing local system information discovery and downloading malicious payloads.
DiscoveryTA0007
CVE-2023-22518 is an improper authorization vulnerability. Adversaries have been seen using HTTP POST requests to upload maliciously-crafted zip files to Confluence WebServers to exploit this vulnerability. After exploitation, adversaries were observed doing local system information discovery, downloading malicious payloads,
Command and ControlTA0011
Detection
4 rules for this CVE · 266 general rules for its techniquesRules for this CVE
4Sigma ruleAn open, vendor-neutral detection rule for log data. Security teams convert Sigma rules into searches for their own SIEM. that reference CVE-2023-22518 directly.- CVE-2023-22518 Exploitation Attempt - Suspicious Confluence Child Process (Linux)hightest
- CVE-2023-22518 Exploitation Attempt - Suspicious Confluence Child Process (Windows)mediumtest
- CVE-2023-22518 Exploitation Attempt - Vulnerable Endpoint Connection (Proxy)mediumtest
- CVE-2023-22518 Exploitation Attempt - Vulnerable Endpoint Connection (Webserver)mediumtest
General rules for this CVE’s techniques
These detect the technique in general, not this specific vulnerability.
Exploit Public-Facing ApplicationT1190149 general rules
- Arcadyan Router Exploitationscriticaltest
- Citrix ADS Exploitation CVE-2020-8193 CVE-2020-8195criticaltest
- Citrix Netscaler Attack CVE-2019-19781criticaltest
- Confluence Exploitation CVE-2019-3398criticaltest
- CVE-2010-5278 Exploitation Attemptcriticaltest
- CVE-2020-0688 Exchange Exploitation via Web Logcriticaltest
- CVE-2020-10148 SolarWinds Orion API Auth Bypasscriticaltest
- CVE-2020-5902 F5 BIG-IP Exploitation Attemptcriticaltest
System Owner/User DiscoveryT103330 general rules
- Potential Dridex Activitycriticalstable
- Renamed Whoami Executioncriticaltest
- Chopper Webshell Process Patternhightest
- HackTool - SharpLdapWhoami Executionhightest
- HackTool - SharpView Executionhightest
- Possible DCSync Attackhightest
- Security Privileges Enumeration Via Whoami.EXEhightest
- SharpHound Recon Sessionshightest
Ingress Tool TransferT110587 general rules
- Greenbug Espionage Group Indicatorscriticaltest
- Pandemic Registry Keycriticaltest
- Curl Download And Execute Combinationhightest
- File Download And Execution Via IEExec.EXEhightest
- File Download From IP Based URL Via CertOC.EXEhightest
- File Download Using Notepad++ GUP Utilityhightest
- File Download Via Bitsadmin To A Suspicious Target Folderhightest
- File Download Via Windows Defender MpCmpRun.EXEhightest
Sigma rules © SigmaHQ, Detection Rule License 1.1; linked, not reproduced.
What security researchers reported
Not named in any threat report yetAlso mentioned in 50 community threat pulses (AlienVault OTX)
Weaker evidencePulses are indicator collections that anyone can publish. A mention is not confirmation of exploitation.
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 202628 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 202627 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 202626 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 202623 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 202622 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 202621 Oct 2026
- 44 more on OTX