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Fencer Vulns
critical 10.0

CVE-2023-22518 kev+ ransomware in the critical feed json

All versions of Confluence Data Center and Server are affected by this unexploited vulnerability.

published 2023-10-31 3 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2023-26658

cvss
10.0
version 3.0, CNA
cisa kev
Exploited
added 2023-11-07, used in ransomware
epss
100.0%
EPSS 100.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 99.9%
public exploits
1
Metasploit, plus a Nuclei check

Summary

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.

Patch / fix

cisa required action Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

  • Atlassian Confluence Data Center < 1.0.0, >= 7.19.16, >= 8.3.4, >= 8.4.4, >= 8.5.3, >= 8.6.1
  • Atlassian Confluence Server < 1.0.0, >= 7.19.16, >= 8.3.4, >= 8.4.4, >= 8.5.3, >= 8.6.1

Timeline

  1. First public exploit (Metasploit exploit/multi/http/atlassian_confluence_unauth_backup)
  2. Published
  3. Added to CISA KEV
  4. CISA patch deadline
  5. CISA SSVC: exploitation active

Known exploited

Added
3 y ago
Patch by
2023-11-28 (2 y ago)
Ransomware
Known to be used in ransomware campaigns
Required action
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Vendor, product
Atlassian, Confluence Data Center and Server
CISA name
Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server Improper Authorization Vulnerability

Ransomware

Groups reported to have exploited it in intrusions.

  • Cerber ransomware gang

reported by trendmicro.com

Ransomware Vulnerability Matrix by BushidoUK (github.com/BushidoUK/Ransomware-Vulnerability-Matrix), reformatted per CVE. CC BY 4.0

ATT&CK techniques

How it is exploited and what it leads to, in MITRE ATT&CK terms.

  • T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application exploitation
  • T1033 System Owner/User Discovery primary impact
  • T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer secondary impact

kev release 2025-07-28, att&ck v16.1. KEV to ATT&CK mappings by the MITRE Center for Threat-Informed Defense (Mappings Explorer, Apache-2.0). © 2026 The MITRE Corporation. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of The MITRE Corporation. Terms of use

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
Active, exploited in the wild
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
partial
Assessed
21 mo ago

Exploit prediction

100.00% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.0 10.0 CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

  • Atlassian Confluence Data Center
  • Atlassian Confluence Server

Classification

Weakness

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.