Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-22513

RCE in Atlassian Bitbucket Data Center 8.9.0 – 8.9.5

Published
19 September 2023
Modified
06 March 2025
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.14 96th percentile
Risk Priority 75 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-22513 is a high-severity Code Injection (CWE-94) vulnerability in Atlassian Bitbucket Data Center. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059); ranked in the top 4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2023-22513 is a high-severity remote code execution vulnerability present in Bitbucket Data Center and Server versions 8.0.0 and later. It carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8 and stems from improper handling that permits code injection, as indicated by the associated CWE-94 classification. The flaw affects the core server product and was introduced when version 8.0.0 was released.

An authenticated attacker with network access can exploit the issue without user interaction to run arbitrary code on the affected instance, resulting in complete loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Because the attack requires only low-privilege credentials, any valid user account on an unpatched system can be leveraged to achieve full system compromise.

Atlassian’s advisory directs customers to upgrade Bitbucket Data Center and Server to one of the fixed releases: 8.9.5 or later for the 8.9 branch, 8.10.5 or later for 8.10, 8.11.4 or later for 8.11, 8.12.2 or later for 8.12, 8.13.1 or later for 8.13, or 8.14.0 or later for 8.14; organizations running any version between 8.0 and 8.9 should move directly to one of the listed fixed versions. The patches are available through the vendor’s download center and are also referenced in the associated Jira ticket BSERV-14419.

The EPSS score has remained flat at 0.1165 with no material increase after disclosure.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

This High severity RCE (Remote Code Execution) vulnerability was introduced in version 8.0.0 of Bitbucket Data Center and Server. This RCE (Remote Code Execution) vulnerability, with a CVSS Score of 8.5, allows an authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code which…

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has high impact to confidentiality, high impact to integrity, high impact to availability, and requires no user interaction. Atlassian recommends that Bitbucket Data Center and Server customers upgrade to latest version, if you are unable to do so, upgrade your instance to one of the specified supported fixed versions: Bitbucket Data Center and Server 8.9: Upgrade to a release greater than or equal to 8.9.5 Bitbucket Data Center and Server 8.10: Upgrade to a release greater than or equal to 8.10.5 Bitbucket Data Center and Server 8.11: Upgrade to a release greater than or equal to 8.11.4 Bitbucket Data Center and Server 8.12: Upgrade to a release greater than or equal to 8.12.2 Bitbucket Data Center and Server 8.13: Upgrade to a release greater than or equal to 8.13.1 Bitbucket Data Center and Server 8.14: Upgrade to a release greater than or equal to 8.14.0 Bitbucket Data Center and Server version >= 8.0 and < 8.9: Upgrade to any of the listed fix versions. See the release notes (https://confluence.atlassian.com/bitbucketserver/release-notes). You can download the latest version of Bitbucket Data Center and Server from the download center (https://www.atlassian.com/software/bitbucket/download-archives). This vulnerability was discovered by a private user and reported via our Bug Bounty program

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter Execution
Adversaries may abuse command and script interpreters to execute commands, scripts, or binaries.
T1059.001 PowerShell Execution
Adversaries may abuse PowerShell commands and scripts for execution.
T1059.002 AppleScript Execution
Adversaries may abuse AppleScript for execution.
T1059.004 Unix Shell Execution
Adversaries may abuse Unix shell commands and scripts for execution.
T1059.005 Visual Basic Execution
Adversaries may abuse Visual Basic (VB) for execution.
T1059.006 Python Execution
Adversaries may abuse Python commands and scripts for execution.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-22514Same vendor: Atlassian
CVE-2023-22506Same vendor: Atlassian
CVE-2026-21575Same vendor: Atlassian
CVE-2023-22526Same vendor: Atlassian
CVE-2024-21674Same vendor: Atlassian
CVE-2024-21673Same vendor: Atlassian
CVE-2026-21570Same vendor: Atlassian
CVE-2024-21689Same vendor: Atlassian
CVE-2024-21683Same vendor: Atlassian
CVE-2024-21672Same vendor: Atlassian

Affected Assets

atlassian
bitbucket data center
8.13.0 · 8.9.0 — 8.9.5 · 8.10.0 — 8.10.5 · 8.11.0 — 8.11.4
atlassian
bitbucket server
8.13.0 · 8.9.0 — 8.9.5 · 8.10.0 — 8.10.5 · 8.11.0 — 8.11.4

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.3.1

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-94

Makes persistent code injection into loaded programs impossible when the executable image itself resides on hardware-protected read-only media.

addresses: CWE-94

Dynamically generated code can be produced and executed inside the isolated chamber, preventing host compromise from code-injection payloads.

addresses: CWE-94

Validates inputs used in dynamic code generation to block injected directives.

addresses: CWE-94

Directly prevents execution of attacker-supplied code written into data memory regions.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

PR.PS-06's SDLC practices directly target injection flaws via secure coding and testing (mostly), yet as a single broad outcome it leaves many code-generation specifics unaddressed (partial).

PR.DS-10 none match
prevents

PR.DS-10 protects runtime data confidentiality/integrity but has no bearing on neutralizing externally influenced input during code generation, so neither direction shows any preventive effect.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

prevents

Banning unapproved code samples and unauthenticated web services, combined with secure-coding standards and SAST, prevents the dynamic generation or inclusion of attacker-supplied code.

none

Controls that restrict unauthorized or malicious code from being introduced via external networks or removable media limit opportunities for an attacker to inject and execute arbitrary code.

References