📄 Description (English)
Atlassian Confluence Server and Data Center Server-Side Template Injection Vulnerability — Atlassian Confluence Server and Data Center contain a server-side template injection vulnerability that may allow an attacker to achieve path traversal and remote code execution.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2019-3396 is a critical server-side template injection vulnerability in Atlassian Confluence Server and Data Center that enables unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) and path traversal. With a CVSS score of 9.0 and a publicly available exploit, attackers can fully compromise affected servers without authentication. This vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild by multiple threat actors including nation-state groups and ransomware operators. Immediate patching is essential as exploitation can lead to complete system takeover, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within enterprise networks.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 15, 2026 13:48
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi organizations heavily relying on Atlassian Confluence for internal collaboration and documentation are at severe risk. Key sectors include: Government/NCA-regulated entities using Confluence for project management and knowledge bases; Banking/SAMA-regulated institutions where Confluence hosts sensitive financial documentation and internal wikis; Energy sector including Saudi Aramco and SABIC subsidiaries using Confluence for operational documentation; Telecom providers such as STC and Zain KSA with large internal Confluence deployments; Healthcare organizations managing clinical and administrative documentation. Successful exploitation could expose classified government documents, financial records, intellectual property, and enable attackers to pivot into critical infrastructure networks. Given Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 digital transformation initiatives, widespread Confluence adoption increases the attack surface significantly.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government
Banking
Energy
Telecom
Healthcare
Defense
Education
Technology
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
9.5
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS (within 24 hours):
1. Identify all Confluence Server and Data Center instances in your environment using asset inventory tools.
2. Isolate internet-facing Confluence instances behind a WAF or restrict external access immediately.
3. Check server logs for indicators of compromise: unusual widget connector requests, unexpected outbound connections, new admin accounts.
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
4. Upgrade Confluence Server/Data Center to versions 6.6.12, 6.12.3, 6.13.3, 6.14.2, or 6.15.1 and later — these versions contain the fix.
5. If immediate patching is not possible, disable the Widget Connector macro as a compensating control via Administration > Manage Add-ons.
COMPENSATING CONTROLS:
6. Deploy WAF rules to block requests containing SSTI payloads targeting the Widget Connector endpoint (/_/;/rest/tinymce/1/macro/preview).
7. Restrict Confluence access to trusted IP ranges only using network ACLs or firewall rules.
8. Enable application-level logging and forward logs to SIEM for anomaly detection.
DETECTION RULES:
9. Monitor for HTTP POST requests to '/_/;/rest/tinymce/1/macro/preview' with suspicious template payloads.
10. Alert on unexpected process spawning from Confluence JVM processes (e.g., bash, cmd, powershell, curl, wget).
11. Deploy Sigma/YARA rules for known exploit payloads associated with CVE-2019-3396.
12. Hunt for webshells in Confluence installation directories.
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية (خلال 24 ساعة):
1. تحديد جميع نسخ Confluence Server وData Center في بيئتك باستخدام أدوات جرد الأصول.
2. عزل نسخ Confluence المكشوفة على الإنترنت خلف جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) أو تقييد الوصول الخارجي فورًا.
3. فحص سجلات الخادم بحثًا عن مؤشرات الاختراق: طلبات Widget Connector غير المعتادة، اتصالات صادرة غير متوقعة، حسابات مشرف جديدة.
إرشادات التصحيح:
4. ترقية Confluence Server/Data Center إلى الإصدارات 6.6.12 أو 6.12.3 أو 6.13.3 أو 6.14.2 أو 6.15.1 أو أحدث.
5. إذا تعذّر التصحيح الفوري، تعطيل ماكرو Widget Connector عبر الإدارة > إدارة الإضافات.
ضوابط التعويض:
6. نشر قواعد WAF لحجب الطلبات التي تحتوي على حمولات SSTI الموجهة لنقطة نهاية Widget Connector.
7. تقييد الوصول إلى Confluence على نطاقات IP موثوقة فقط باستخدام قوائم التحكم بالوصول أو قواعد جدار الحماية.
8. تفعيل تسجيل الأحداث على مستوى التطبيق وإرسال السجلات إلى نظام SIEM للكشف عن الشذوذات.
قواعد الكشف:
9. مراقبة طلبات HTTP POST إلى '/_/;/rest/tinymce/1/macro/preview' التي تحتوي على حمولات قوالب مشبوهة.
10. التنبيه على عمليات غير متوقعة تنبثق من عمليات Confluence JVM مثل bash وcmd وpowershell وcurl وwget.
11. نشر قواعد Sigma/YARA للحمولات المعروفة المرتبطة بـ CVE-2019-3396.
12. البحث عن الأصداف البرمجية (webshells) في مجلدات تثبيت Confluence.
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC-1-4-2: Patch and vulnerability management — critical patches must be applied within defined SLAs
ECC-2-3-1: Network security — restrict unnecessary external access to internal collaboration tools
ECC-2-5-1: Application security — secure configuration and hardening of web applications
ECC-3-3-2: Incident management — detection and response to active exploitation attempts
ECC-2-2-3: Access control — restrict administrative access to collaboration platforms
🔵 SAMA CSF
3.3.5 Vulnerability Management — timely identification and remediation of critical vulnerabilities
3.3.6 Patch Management — critical patch deployment within regulatory timelines
3.4.2 Network Security — segmentation and access control for internal applications
3.3.9 Penetration Testing — validate remediation effectiveness post-patching
3.2.4 Cyber Incident Management — establish detection and response procedures for RCE exploitation
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.12.6.1 Management of technical vulnerabilities — timely patching of critical vulnerabilities
A.14.2.2 System change control procedures — controlled patching process
A.13.1.3 Segregation in networks — isolate vulnerable systems
A.16.1.2 Reporting information security events — report and respond to exploitation attempts
A.12.4.1 Event logging — monitor for exploitation indicators
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0
Requirement 6.3.3 — All system components are protected from known vulnerabilities by installing applicable security patches
Requirement 6.4.1 — Web-facing applications are protected against known attacks
Requirement 11.3.1 — Internal vulnerability scans performed regularly
Requirement 10.2 — Implement audit logs to detect unauthorized access attempts
🔗 References & Sources 0
No references.
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
Atlassian:Confluence Server and Data Server