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

- Exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2023-11-07, known ransomware use
- Published: 2023-10-31
- CVSS: 10 CRITICAL (v3.0)
- EPSS: 100.0% (100th percentile)
- CWE: CWE-863

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.

## Edge WAF coverage (claimed by vendors, not measured)

| Vendor | Status | First rule | Days after publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | Before feed history | — | — |
| AWS | Rule published | 2023-12-14 | — |
| Microsoft Azure | No public claim | — | — |
| Google Cloud | Before feed history | — | — |
| Fastly | Before feed history | — | — |
| F5 | Rule published | 2023-12-12 | 42 |
| Akamai | No public source | — | — |
| OWASP CRS | No public claim | — | — |

### AWS

- 2023-12-14 · updated
  > Known bad inputs managed rule group ExploitablePaths_URIPATH: Released static version 1.20 of this rule group. Updated the ExploitablePaths_URIPATH rule to add detection for requests that match the Atlassian Confluence CVE-2023-22518 Improper Authorization vulnerability. This vulnerability affects all versions of Confluence Data Center and Server. For more information, see NIST: National Vulnerability Database: CVE-2023-22518 Detail .
  Source: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/waf/latest/developerguide/aws-managed-rule-groups-changelog.html

### F5

- 2023-12-12 · new · rule 200013063
  > Added: signature 200013063 "Atlassian Confluence Privilege Escalation (2)" (Authentication/Authorization Attacks, risk High), systems: Java Servlets/JSP. References: CVE-2023-22515, CVE-2023-22518.
  Source: https://docs.cloud.f5.com/docs-v2/platform/changelogs/security-details-changelog
- 2023-12-12 · new · rule 200013069
  > Added: signature 200013069 "Atlassian Confluence Privilege Escalation (3)" (Authentication/Authorization Attacks, risk High), systems: Java Servlets/JSP. References: CVE-2023-22518.
  Source: https://docs.cloud.f5.com/docs-v2/platform/changelogs/security-details-changelog

## Our test (measured)

- OWASP Core Rule Set 4.25.0, paranoia level 1, anomaly threshold 5, default CRS settings: passed (0 of 1 requests blocked), template CVE-2023-22518, 2026-11-02
- OWASP Core Rule Set 4.25.0, paranoia level 2, anomaly threshold 5, default CRS settings: passed (0 of 1 requests blocked), template CVE-2023-22518, 2026-11-02

"No public claim" means no vendor statement names this CVE; "Before feed history" means the CVE is older than the vendor feed. In both cases generic rules may still block it.

HTML: https://cve.vigilbase.com/cve/CVE-2023-22518 · JSON: https://cve.vigilbase.com/api/v1/cves/CVE-2023-22518