# CVE-2019-20409: Code injection in Jira Server

> Remote attackers can achieve code execution via server-side template injection in Atlassian Jira Server and Data Center.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Jun 2020
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8vf6-jj8p-33f5

## What is CVE-2019-20409?

CVE-2019-20409 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Atlassian Jira, published on 23 Jun 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The way in which velocity templates were used in Atlassian Jira Server and Data Center prior to version 8.8.0 allowed remote attackers to gain remote code execution if they were able to exploit a server side template injection vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-20409?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Atlassian Jira, Atlassian Jira Software Data Center.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-20409?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-20409 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-20409 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-20409 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Atlassian Jira

- [CVE-2020-14172](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14172/): Deserialization in Jira Server (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-5983](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5983/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2010-1165](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-1165/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2016-4319](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4319/): Cross-site request forgery in Atlassian JIRA Server before 7.1.9 (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-8443](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8443/): Auth bypass in Jira (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-20409 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-20409 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Atlassian Jira, published on 23 Jun 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-20409 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Atlassian Jira. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20409/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20409/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-20409
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-20409
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-20409

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20409/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.