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CVE-2023-22518 CISA KEV — actively exploited Ransomware-linked

Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server Improper Authorization Vulnerability

Atlassian — Confluence Data Center

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.

CVSS scoreCritical

9.8

EPSS — exploitation probabilityCritical

100.0%

Vector breakdown

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

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

Published
Oct 31, 2023
Modified
Jun 17, 2026
Added to KEV
Nov 7, 2023
Federal patch due
Nov 28, 2023

CISA required action

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

Weakness classification

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization

Affected packages

unknown packageunknown
GHSA-8prx-84h6-4fr5

Proof-of-concept & exploitation references

8 found

Weaponization

Nuclei template

Available

Metasploit module

Not found

Public repositories whose name or description references CVE-2023-22518, found via a live GitHub search at request time. These are community-sourced signals, not a verified working exploit — cross-check each one before relying on it, and treat higher star counts and recent activity as (weak) corroboration, not proof.

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-22518?

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 severe is CVE-2023-22518?

CVE-2023-22518 has a CVSS base score of 9.8 out of 10 (CVSS 3.1).

Is CVE-2023-22518 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. CVE-2023-22518 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added Nov 7, 2023, meaning CISA has confirmed evidence of active exploitation. It is also flagged as used in ransomware campaigns.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2023-22518?

100.0% - meaning FIRST.org's EPSS model estimates a 100.0% probability this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within 30 days (100% percentile among all scored CVEs).

Is there exploit tooling available for CVE-2023-22518?

Yes - a public Nuclei template referencing CVE-2023-22518 exist in public repositories we checked. We also found 8 public GitHub repositories referencing this CVE.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2023-22518?

CVE-2023-22518 is classified under CWE-863 (CWE-863 Incorrect Authorization).

Cross-checked against

Impactr finds and proves whether CVE-2023-22518 — or flaws like it — are actually reachable in your own web apps and APIs, with a reproducible exploit as evidence.

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