1. Introduction
Atlassian JIRA Common Credentials vulnerability means that the remote web server is protected using a default or easily guessed username and password. This allows attackers to gain access to sensitive information within your JIRA instance, potentially compromising data confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Systems commonly affected are publicly accessible Atlassian JIRA instances or those without strong password policies. A successful exploit could lead to full system compromise.
2. Technical Explanation
The vulnerability occurs when JIRA is deployed with default credentials (often ‘admin/admin’) or weak, common passwords. Attackers can use automated tools or manual attempts to log in and gain access. There is no specific CVE associated with this general issue as it’s a configuration problem rather than a software flaw. An attacker could simply attempt to login using the default ‘admin’ username and password, gaining administrative control of the JIRA instance. Affected systems are those running Atlassian JIRA without enforced strong password policies or regular credential rotation.
- Root cause: Use of default or weak credentials for JIRA access.
- Exploit mechanism: An attacker attempts to authenticate with common usernames and passwords, such as ‘admin/admin’.
- Scope: All versions of Atlassian JIRA are potentially affected if not properly secured.
3. Detection and Assessment
You can confirm vulnerability by attempting login with default credentials. A thorough method involves auditing user accounts and password complexity policies.
- Quick checks: Attempt to log in using the username ‘admin’ and password ‘admin’.
- Scanning: Nessus plugin ID 10429 can identify this issue, but results should be verified manually.
- Logs and evidence: Check JIRA logs for successful logins from unexpected IP addresses or with default credentials. Log files are typically located in the JIRA installation directory under the ‘logs’ folder.
# No command available as this is a login attempt.4. Solution / Remediation Steps
Fix the issue by changing or removing affected JIRA credentials. Make steps small, testable, and safe to roll back.
4.1 Preparation
- Ensure you have access to an alternative administrative account or a recovery method in case of issues. Rollback involves restoring the database backup and restarting the service.
- A change window may be needed depending on your environment, with approval from system owners.
4.2 Implementation
- Step 1: Log into JIRA as an administrator.
- Step 2: Navigate to ‘JIRA Administration’ > ‘User Management’.
- Step 3: Locate the ‘admin’ account (if it exists).
- Step 4: Change the password for the ‘admin’ account to a strong, unique value.
- Step 5: If other accounts use default or weak passwords, change them as well.
- Step 6: Enforce a strong password policy for all users in JIRA.
4.3 Config or Code Example
Before
# No config example available as this is a password change within the JIRA UI.After
# Password changed from 'admin' to a strong, unique value in the JIRA User Management interface. A strong password policy should also be enabled.4.4 Security Practices Relevant to This Vulnerability
List only practices that directly address this vulnerability type. Use neutral wording and examples instead of fixed advice. For example: least privilege, input validation, safe defaults, secure headers, patch cadence. If a practice does not apply, do not include it.
- Practice 1: Least privilege – limit the number of users with administrative access to JIRA.
- Practice 2: Strong password policies – enforce complex passwords and regular rotation.
4.5 Automation (Optional)
# No automation script available as this requires UI interaction to change passwords.5. Verification / Validation
- Post-fix check: Attempt to log in using the username ‘admin’ and the *old* password; access should be denied.
- Re-test: Re-run the initial login attempt with default credentials – it should now fail.
- Smoke test: Log in as a regular user and verify core JIRA functionality (e.g., creating an issue, editing an issue).
- Monitoring: Monitor JIRA logs for failed login attempts from unexpected IP addresses or using common usernames.
# No command available as this is a login attempt. Expected output should be "Login Failed".6. Preventive Measures and Monitoring
Suggest only measures that are relevant to the vulnerability type. Use “for example” to keep advice conditional, not prescriptive.
- Baselines: Update your security baseline or policy to include strong password requirements for all JIRA users.
- Pipelines: Implement automated checks in CI/CD pipelines to identify default credentials or weak passwords during deployment.
- Asset and patch process: Regularly review user accounts and permissions within JIRA as part of a standard asset management process.
7. Risks, Side Effects, and Roll Back
- Risk or side effect 1: Users may be locked out if they forget their new passwords; ensure a password reset process is available.
- Roll back: Restore the JIRA database backup taken prior to making changes. Restart the JIRA service.
8. References and Resources
- Vendor advisory or bulletin: Atlassian Security Best Practices
- NVD or CVE entry: No specific CVE for default credentials, but see NIST NVD for related issues.
- Product or platform documentation relevant to the fix: Managing Passwords in JIRA Server