Security and Encryption for Confluence Feature Differences

Server/Data Center

Cloud

A migration path is available

Needed

• Understand the feature differences between the application for Confluence Server(DC) and Confluence Cloud.

  •  The macro names differ between Server and Cloud

    • Server: Secure

    • Cloud: Secret

• Allocate time for a test migration to understand the steps required to migrate data and complete re-configuration.

• This guide assumes you have successfully migrated your Confluence Server data into Confluence Cloud, per Atlassian's instructions (CCMA).  More Atlassian resources are available here.

Versioning/License

Version Support

Minimum migratable Version : 3.6.0

Migrate to Security and Encryption for Confluence using steps at the Migration Path.

License

Available through both Atlassian Marketplace and ServiceRocket Marketplace.

Available through Atlassian Marketplace only. Monthly subscriptions are the default option, however, discounted annual subscriptions are available upon request to our Atlassian Sales team.

Confluence Differences

Creating a new Secured macro

Macros are created by using the Secure macro on a Confluence page.

Macros are created by using the Secret macro on a Confluence page.

Decrypting the Secured macro

Approved access users need to enter their Confluence password to decrypt.

Approved users can click the Decrypt button to access the secured content.

Integration with other macros

Confluence server supports nested macros which mean Secure and Encryption macros can easily be nested and integrated with other Confluence macros.

Example of how Security and Encryption macros are nested with other macros...

Confluence Cloud currently does not support nested macro (See CONFCLOUD-68323) which means integration with other apps by way of nesting will be limited.

 Due to this limitation, pages that contain Security and Encryption macros nested with other macros (such as the one highlighted in the Server column on the left side) will fail to be migrated to Cloud. We suggest moving the Security and Encryption macros outside of the nested macros in server before performing the migration to Cloud. Feel free to contact our support team to get further advice about this.

Other functions

An access log of each macro

After decrypting the macro, approved access users can also view the access log.

Centralized view of all secrets on a space

As a space administrator, you can see what secrets are stored in the space, the last time they were updated, and which pages they belong to.

Centralized audit log of all macros on a space

As a space administrator, you can use the audit logs to run audit reports, review access to secrets, find out any unintended access, detect suspicious activities and provide supporting evidence of your organization's security compliance.

Macro Differences Overview

Server Macros 

Cloud Macros 

This table signifies the difference between Server/Data Center app and the Cloud version.

Secure

Encrypts text for secure sharing of sensitive information on Confluence Server pages.

Supports Rich Text Formatting.

Secret 

Encrypts text for secure sharing of sensitive information on Confluence Cloud pages.

Does not support Rich Text Formatting.

Secure macro ownership can be transferred.

The user who creates the Secure macro (creator) will always be the owner of the secret. This ownership can never be changed to anyone, but, Confluence administrators have the privilege to modify the access settings of the Secure macro.

Secret macro ownership cannot be transferred.

The creator of the Secret will be the owner of the secret by default, but they can add more owners.

• Subsequently, this means that the creator of the Secret can also be removed from the owner's field.

• A Secret will always be tied to at least one owner.

• Confluence admins in Cloud do not have the privilege to access these secrets unless they're the owner.