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CVE-2023-22518: Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server Improper Authorization Vulnerability

CVE-2023-22518 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 and affects Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server, along with 1 other product in NVD’s configuration data. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-11-07, which means exploitation in the wild has been observed.

Vulnerability description

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.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.1 9.8: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
User interaction: None. No action from any user is needed.
Scope: Unchanged. Impact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Underlying weakness

CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization

The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check.

Affected products

Atlassian Confluence Data Center: from 1.0 before 7.19.16; from 7.20.0 before 8.3.4; from 8.4.0 before 8.4.4; from 8.5.0 before 8.5.3; 8.6.0
Atlassian Confluence Server: from 1.0 before 7.19.16; from 7.20.0 before 8.3.4; from 8.4.0 before 8.4.4; from 8.5.0 before 8.5.3; 8.6.0