Atlassian Confluence Data Exposure (CVE-2025-21984): Sensitive Wiki Content at Risk

A new vulnerability in Atlassian Confluence Server and Data Center could expose private documentation to unauthorized users — a nightmare for organizations relying on Confluence for sensitive internal collaboration.

Vulnerability Overview

Atlassian has disclosed CVE-2025-21984, a sensitive data exposure flaw affecting certain Confluence releases. The issue arises from improper access control checks in the content rendering engine, allowing non-privileged users — or in some cases, unauthenticated visitors — to retrieve restricted wiki pages, attachments, and embedded information.

For organizations using Confluence as a central knowledge base, this could lead to leaks of proprietary information, internal credentials, and business-critical procedures.

Attack Vectors & Potential Impact

If exploited, an attacker could:

• Read confidential wiki pages, even without proper permissions.
• Harvest sensitive data such as project documentation, system architecture diagrams, or internal communications.
• Combine leaked details with other vulnerabilities to mount targeted attacks.

While the flaw does not grant code execution or administrative takeover, information disclosure can be just as damaging, particularly when combined with social engineering or credential stuffing campaigns.

Mitigation & Patching Guidance

Atlassian urges administrators to:

1. Update Confluence immediately to the patched versions.
2. Review and tighten page permissions to ensure sensitive content is restricted.
3. Monitor access logs for anomalous requests from unexpected IP ranges.
4. Consider temporary network restrictions for Confluence until patched.

ThreatGrid Takeaways

• Data exposure risks often fly under the radar because they don’t involve code execution — but attackers value information as much as access.
• Patch management must prioritize confidentiality risks alongside integrity and availability concerns.
• Regular permission audits are essential in large-scale collaboration environments.