Webserver POST requests to Confluence setup/restore endpoints matching CVE-2023-22518 exploit traffic
Detects POST traffic to Confluence CVE-2023-22518 vulnerable endpoints based on URI patterns and HTTP status codes.
- Category
- webserver
- Author
- Andreas Braathen (mnemonic.io) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2023-11-14
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Initial AccessRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule identifies webserver requests using HTTP POST to specific Confluence endpoints associated with the CVE-2023-22518 exploit path. The observed behavior matters because successful exploitation can allow unauthorized administrative account creation and command execution attempts. Detection relies on webserver HTTP telemetry, matching request method, targeted URI query substrings, and acceptable HTTP response status codes.
Reporting behind it
- confluence.atlassian.comhttps://confluence.atlassian.com/security/cve-2023-22518-improper-authorization-vulnerability-in-confluence-data-center-and-server-1311473907.html
- huntress.comhttps://www.huntress.com/blog/confluence-to-cerber-exploitation-of-cve-2023-22518-for-ransomware-deployment
- github.comhttps://github.com/ForceFledgling/CVE-2023-22518
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2023/Exploits/CVE-2023-22518/web_exploit_cve_2023_22518_confluence_auth_bypass.yml
Changelog
v5- v5Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v4Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v3Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: Webserver POST requests to Confluence setup/restore endpoints matching CVE-2023-22518 exploit traffic
id: e0db7091-5538-4cb7-a496-0df263354212
related:
- id: 27d2cdde-9778-490e-91ec-9bd0be6e8cc6
type: similar
- id: a902d249-9b9c-4dc4-8fd0-fbe528ef965c
type: derived
status: test
description: This rule identifies webserver requests using HTTP POST to specific Confluence endpoints associated with the CVE-2023-22518 exploit path. The observed behavior matters because successful exploitation can allow unauthorized administrative account creation and command execution attempts. Detection relies on webserver HTTP telemetry, matching request method, targeted URI query substrings, and acceptable HTTP response status codes.
references:
- https://confluence.atlassian.com/security/cve-2023-22518-improper-authorization-vulnerability-in-confluence-data-center-and-server-1311473907.html
- https://www.huntress.com/blog/confluence-to-cerber-exploitation-of-cve-2023-22518-for-ransomware-deployment
- https://github.com/ForceFledgling/CVE-2023-22518
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2023/Exploits/CVE-2023-22518/web_exploit_cve_2023_22518_confluence_auth_bypass.yml
author: Andreas Braathen (mnemonic.io), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-11-14
tags:
- attack.initial-access
- attack.t1190
- cve.2023-22518
- detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
category: webserver
detection:
selection_method:
cs-method: POST
selection_uris:
cs-uri-query|contains:
- /json/setup-restore-local.action
- /json/setup-restore-progress.action
- /json/setup-restore.action
- /server-info.action
- /setup/setupadministrator.action
selection_status:
sc-status:
- 200
- 302
- 405
condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
- Vulnerability scanners
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1