CVE-2019-15006 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability known as man-in-the-middle (MITM) was found in the Confluence Previews plugin in Confluence Server and Confluence Data Center, affecting various versions of the software.

Understanding CVE-2019-15006

This CVE involves a security issue in the Confluence Previews plugin that could allow an attacker to intercept and modify data exchanged between Confluence Server (or Confluence Data Center) and the Atlassian Companion application.

What is CVE-2019-15006?

The vulnerability in the Confluence Previews plugin enabled a man-in-the-middle attack by exploiting the communication between Confluence Server (or Confluence Data Center) and the Atlassian Companion application.

The Impact of CVE-2019-15006

The vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to user information and the manipulation of files being edited using the Companion application, posing a significant security risk to affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-15006

The technical aspects of the CVE provide insights into the vulnerability's description, affected systems, versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The Confluence Previews plugin communicated with the Atlassian Companion application through a domain name that could be exploited by attackers to carry out man-in-the-middle attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

Confluence Server versions 6.11.0, 6.14.0, 7.0.1, 7.1.0, and 7.2.0-beta1 were affected.
Versions between 6.13.10 and 6.15.10, as well as 7.0.5 and 7.1.2, were also vulnerable.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers controlling DNS resolution could intercept communication between Confluence Server (or Confluence Data Center) and the Companion application, exploiting the atlassian-domain-for-localhost-connections-only.com domain.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-15006 involves immediate steps and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Confluence Server and Confluence Data Center to the patched versions.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activities.
Educate users about phishing and social engineering tactics.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure DNS practices to prevent DNS hijacking.
Regularly review and update security certificates and keys.
Conduct security audits and penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Atlassian has released patches to address the vulnerability.
Ensure timely installation of updates and patches to mitigate the risk of exploitation.