Atlassian has issued an urgent security advisory warning customers of a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability affecting outdated versions of its Confluence server product. The vulnerability is already being actively exploited in the wild, prompting emergency patching across government agencies and corporate networks.
Unauthenticated Attackers Can Fully Compromise Confluence Servers
The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-22527, allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable Confluence server. This means an external party could gain full admin access and take complete control over the server without needing any login credentials.
The RCE flaw affects Confluence Server and Data Center versions 7.0.5 through 7.13.0. It stems from improper input validation in the Widget Connector macro, allowing attackers to inject malicious code into the macro preview. Atlassian has released Confluence 7.14.0 to address the issue, and recommends all customers immediately update.
Active Exploitation Targeting Outdated Confluence Installs
Even before publicly disclosing details, Atlassian detected exploitation attempts against the RCE vulnerability in the wild. Attackers are specifically targeting outdated Confluence servers that have not yet applied the latest updates.
This indicates malicious actors likely reverse engineered patches or identified the flaw through their own research, keeping exploits closely guarded for private use. Now that technical details are publicly known, broader exploitation is expected across the internet.
Timeline of Atlassian RCE Vulnerability and Patch Release
| Date | Event |
|----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| December 2022 | Attackers identify RCE vulnerability and begin targeted exploitation |
| January 13, 2023 | Atlassian releases Confluence 7.14.0 patch fixing RCE vulnerability |
| January 16, 2023 | Atlassian publishes security advisory with vulnerability details allowing broader exploitation attempts |
CISA Issues Emergency Directive to US Government Agencies
Recognizing the significant threat posed by this vulnerability, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued an emergency directive calling on all federal civilian agencies to immediately patch against the flaw.
CISA is specifically requiring the 232 government bodies on its list to upgrade all vulnerable Confluence servers over the next week. With the vulnerability details now public, the directive aims to cut off access before hackers can infiltrate federal systems.
Without prompt patching, CISA warns that exploitation of this vulnerability is likely to lead to full system compromise and potential follow-on cyber attacks.
Corporate Networks Also at High Risk
Along with government systems, outdated Confluence servers operating in corporate environments are prime targets for attackers seeking to leverage this vulnerability. Confirming those fears, security researchers have already detected mass scanning activity for vulnerable Confluence instances across the internet from unknown adversaries.
With remote work continuing to drive more business software to the cloud, Confluence has become an integral platform at many major companies to help teams collaborate. Hundreds of thousands of servers may still be running outdated versions vulnerable to complete takeover.
What Should Vulnerable Organizations Do?
Any organization operating an on-premise Confluence server older than version 7.14.0 should immediately prioritize patching to close this vulnerability. Upgrade to Confluence 7.14.0 as soon as possible.
Temporarily disabling internet access to vulnerable servers may also be warranted to cut off intrusion routes until patching is complete. Continue monitoring logs carefully for signs of compromise even after upgrading.
For broader security, ensure general software patching processes are in place to update internet-facing services when vulnerabilities emerge. Dedicated security personnel should subscribe to product notifications about bugs and fixes.
Outlook: Future Exploits Likely Leveraging New Attack Surface
With Atlassian’s market leading position for workplace collaboration tools, the exposed attack surface here substantially impacts enterprise security. Even after patching, analysts fear this may have opened the door to future Confluence vulnerabilities.
Attackers tend to heavily scrutinize high value targets once weaknesses are uncovered. The inputs and logic around Confluence macros, now known to be vulnerable, could be focused on intently by hackers searching for related flaws.
Atlassian will need to accelerate its security development lifecycle to identify and resolve issues in internet-facing code. Companies must also prepare incident response plans in case attackers find further footholds to exploit. For now, remain vigilant and ensure all collaboration tools closely align to cyber security best practices.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
