CVE-2023-22508, a high severity RCE (Remote Code Execution) vulnerability has been identified in version 6.1. of Confluence Data Center & Server. This critical issue allows attackers with authenticated access to execute arbitrary code, having significant impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability while requiring no user interaction.

With a CVSS Score of 8.5, defending against this vulnerability is crucial. Atlassian has provided multiple solutions, and they strongly recommend upgrading your instance using one of the following options:

Upgrade to a Confluence feature release greater than or equal to 8.2. (e.g., 8.2, 8.2, 8.4, etc.)

2. Upgrade to a Confluence 7.19 LTS bugfix release greater than or equal to 7.19.8 (e.g., 7.19.8, 7.19.9, 7.19.10, 7.19.11, etc.)
3. Upgrade to a Confluence 7.13 LTS bugfix release greater than or equal to 7.13.20 (Release available early August)

For more information on the various releases, you can refer to the release notes here. To download the latest version of Data Center & Server, visit the download center here.

If you cannot immediately upgrade your instance, follow this guide to disable the JMX network port as a temporary workaround: How to disable the JMX network port for CVE-2023-22508.

This vulnerability was discovered by a private user who brought it to Atlassian's attention through their Bug Bounty program.

Code Snippet

No specific code snippet exists for this vulnerability; however, here is an illustrative example to showcase how an attacker might exploit an RCE vulnerability in a web application:

import requests

target_url = "http://<target-IP>:808/Confluence";
payload = '"; <arbitrary code execution>; "'
data = {
    "username": "admin",
    "password": "admin123",
}

session = requests.Session()
response = session.post(target_url + "/login", data=data)

if response.status_code == 200:
    exploit = session.post(target_url + "/<vulnerable_endpoint>", data={"param": payload})
    if exploit.status_code == 200:
        print("Exploit succeeded!")
    else:
        print("Exploit failed!")
else:
    print("Login failed!")

NOTE: The above code is for illustration purposes only. Attempting to exploit a vulnerability without permission can result in legal consequences.

Exploit Details

The specific details of the exploit are not disclosed to prevent misuse; however, understanding the general nature of RCE vulnerabilities can help organizations assess and secure their systems better. These types of vulnerabilities often occur when an application incorporates user-supplied data into the code that is executed by the server, which could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code if the input is not properly validated and sanitized. In the case of CVE-2023-22508, a successful exploit would lead to severe consequences, including unauthorized access to sensitive data, unauthorized modifications to system configurations, and even complete system takeover.

Don't let your organization fall victim to this high severity RCE vulnerability. Ensure you have upgraded your Confluence Data Center & Server instance to stay protected.

Timeline

Published on: 07/18/2023 23:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 07/31/2023 17:12:00 UTC