CVE-2023-22518
CRITICALCISA KEVEPSS 100th pctlDescription
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.
How to fix
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Very high risk: more likely to be exploited than 100% of all known CVEs.
Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server Improper Authorization Vulnerability
Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server contain an improper authorization vulnerability that can result in significant data loss when exploited by an unauthenticated attacker. There is no impact on confidentiality since the attacker cannot exfiltrate any data.
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Remediation due: 2023-11-28
Associated with ransomware campaigns
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2023-38035 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | - |
| CVE-2022-46169 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2024-38856 | Critical | 9.8 | 99% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2025-29927 | Critical | 9.1 | 99% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2020-36289 | Medium | 5.3 | 99% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2022-0824 | High | 8.8 | 97% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2023-22518?
Published advisories record a fix for 2 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2023-22518 being actively exploited?
Yes. CVE-2023-22518 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means exploitation has been observed in the wild. CISA has also linked it to known ransomware campaigns. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 2023-11-28. Treat it as a priority whatever its CVSS score says.
How severe is CVE-2023-22518?
CVE-2023-22518 has a CVSS v3 base score of 9.8, rated critical. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2023-22518 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for confluence data center (NVD), confluence server (NVD). Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2025-10-24.