Atlassian has issued an urgent security advisory for a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Jira Software Data Center and Server, tracked as CVE-2025-22167. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to write arbitrary files anywhere accessible to the Java Virtual Machine process, a capability that could lead to data corruption, service disruption, or even code execution.
With a CVSS score of 8.7, this vulnerability affects Jira versions 9.12.0 through 11.0.1. Atlassian discovered the issue internally and has released patches addressing it in 9.12.28, 10.3.12, and 11.1.0.
What’s Behind the Vulnerability
The problem lies in insufficient input validation within Jira’s file handling mechanisms. Attackers with low-level authenticated access can exploit it by crafting malicious requests that include traversal sequences such as ../. This technique lets them bypass directory restrictions and write data to unintended locations on the server.
Because the attack is network-based, requires no user interaction, and involves low complexity, it can be exploited remotely by anyone with valid Jira credentials.
While the flaw primarily enables arbitrary file writes, Atlassian warns it could potentially be chained with other vulnerabilities to achieve data exfiltration or remote code execution.
Impact on Organizations
For teams relying on Jira for project management and DevOps, the risks are serious. Exploitation could lead to:
- Corrupted configuration or project data
- Malware deployment
- Database tampering
- Log deletion or alteration
- Denial-of-service (DoS) scenarios
In regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, or government, even indirect exposure could result in compliance violations or intellectual property loss.
Although no public exploits have been reported, the low barrier to attack requiring only basic authentication that makes prompt patching essential, especially for internet-exposed instances.
How to Protect Your Jira Environment
Atlassian strongly advises all customers to upgrade immediately to one of the patched versions:
- 9.x branch: 9.12.28 or later
- 10.x branch: 10.3.12 or later
- 11.x branch: 11.1.0 or later
If an immediate upgrade isn’t possible, Atlassian recommends the following interim mitigations:
- Restrict filesystem write permissions for the JVM process
- Limit network access to Jira instances
- Deploy file integrity monitoring to detect suspicious changes
- Maintain regular backups and security audits
Why This Matters
This incident highlights both the complexity of modern software supply chains and the importance of rapid patch management. Atlassian’s swift internal discovery and disclosure demonstrate proactive security practices — but delayed updates could still leave thousands of systems exposed.
With over 200,000 organizations worldwide depending on Jira for critical workflows, timely action is the best defense against potential exploitation.
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