Confluence CVE-2019-3398 Web Exploitation via Path Traversal Upload POST Request

Alert on Confluence POST /upload.action requests with query-based path traversal filename patterns consistent with CVE-2019-3398.

FreeReviewedSigma · Critical · v5

Category: webserver
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2026-07-31

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Initial Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
- T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies likely exploitation attempts against Confluence using the CVE-2019-3398 pattern. It matches HTTP POST requests to /upload.action that include a filename value with directory traversal sequences (../../../../), consistent with an attacker attempting to write or place files outside the intended directory. Detection relies on webserver HTTP telemetry containing request method and URI query parameters.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1190 — drag to rearrange

Malicious SharePoint ToolShell Exploitation via ToolPane Endpoint

Malicious Exchange Mailbox Export to ASPX via New-MailboxExportRequest

Suspicious Shell Spawned by ActiveMQ Java Process

Cleo Autorun Exploitation via Healthcheck File Drop

Suspicious SharePoint Worker Process Spawning Command Interpreter via ToolShell

Malicious IIS Worker Process Spawning Command Shell Reconnaissance

Potential StyleSmuggler (CVE-2026-75650) Exploitation Attempt - Magento GraphQL Styles Parameter (via webserver)

Cisco IOS XE Configuration Change by Web UI WSMA User

Possible React2Shell CVE-2025-55182 Prototype Pollution Exploitation

Confluence CVE-2019-3398 Web Exploitation via Path Traversal Upload POST Request

Pivot detection · T1190 · 9 related

Changelog

v5
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v4
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v3
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v1
No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

confluence-web-exploit-attempt-via-path-traversal-in-post-upload-action-cve-2019-e9bc39ae

title: Confluence CVE-2019-3398 Web Exploitation via Path Traversal Upload POST Request
id: 5abb4ab1-d634-413e-bbc5-cdf0e7c4afe9
status: test
description: This rule identifies likely exploitation attempts against Confluence using the CVE-2019-3398 pattern. It matches HTTP POST requests to /upload.action that include a filename value with directory traversal sequences (../../../../), consistent with an attacker attempting to write or place files outside the intended directory. Detection relies on webserver HTTP telemetry containing request method and URI query parameters.
references:
  - https://devcentral.f5.com/s/articles/confluence-arbitrary-file-write-via-path-traversal-cve-2019-3398-34181
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2019/Exploits/CVE-2019-3398/web_cve_2019_3398_confluence.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2020-05-26
modified: 2023-01-02
tags:
  - attack.initial-access
  - attack.t1190
  - cve.2019-3398
  - detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
  category: webserver
detection:
  selection:
    cs-method: POST
    cs-uri-query|contains|all:
      - /upload.action
      - filename=../../../../
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: critical
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: e9bc39ae-978a-4e49-91ab-5bd481fc668b
    type: derived

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

SplunkSPL