Anonymous users being prompted to log in

[Chris Collins]

Hello there, I have a space that is open to the public with Anonymous Access enabled and Anonymous users have the View permission enabled.

Up until very recently this has worked perfectly but now I've had most users come to me and say that they can access the main overview page but when they click on an article link, they are pompted to login with no other way past it to get to the article. 

Unfortunately I have been unable to replicate this myself when I log out and load the space up as an anonymous user. However a trusted partner has said that whenever he clicks on an article, it loads and he can view it for 2-5 seconds and then the login prompt is shown.

As I said this is a recent development and we have not changed any of the space settings recently that could have caused this.

Does anyone have any ideas what I can do to ensure it remains open to the public?

[patrick solberg]

HI, 

we have experienced the same issue now for a few weeks, 

but now it seems to be in order again, no login required for public pages.

[Dave Mathijs]

Hi @Chris Collins Welcome to the Atlassian Community Forums!

How does anonymous access fit Confluence’s permissions structure?

Anonymous access to content is controlled at 3 different levels:

• Confluence – At the Confluence level (in global permissions), the Confluence admin or site admin decides whether to grant anonymous users any access to the instance.

• Space – If anonymous access is allowed at the Confluence level, it’s then up to the space admins to decide whether they want to grant anonymous users any access to their space. If space access is granted, then anonymous users will have access to all pages in the space, unless restricted on the pages themselves.

• Content – Anonymous users are restricted from viewing content when its access setting is Only specific people can view or edit, or when one of its parent content items has been set so that only specific people can access. This means that view restrictions are passed down to all of the nested items.

More about anonymous access

• Essentially, the global setting enables the possibility of sharing content to anyone on the internet. It’s then up to the space admins whether they want to give anonymous users access to their spaces.

• The global setting could be enabled, but if anonymous users haven’t been granted access to any spaces, no anonymous users will be able to access anything on your instance.

• Space admins can grant anonymous users all the same permissions as regular users, except anonymous users can’t be admins of a space. For a list of all space permissions that can be granted, see Assign space permissions.

PS: By default, anonymous users start with no access to any spaces. For example, when a new space is created, anonymous users will have no access to that space, even if the global settings is enabled.

[Chris Collins]

I have Anonymous users enabled at the Global level and the space level if that helps.

[Jon Hermiz]

This is also happening to us. It was working fine forever and recently about 1-2 weeks ago we started getting calls and emails asking for permission for logins or accounts from anon access. We too have anon access enabled globally and at the site space level. 

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Chris Collins 

Welcome to the community.

Are there page restrictions set?

What are the current space permissions?

[Chris Collins]

Hi Marc, 

There are no page restrictions (that I know of), all pages are open to the public. 

I have me as the Admin and our standard groups (confluence users etc) can all view but only a few group roles can edit.

Anonymous Access > anonymous users is set to View and nothing else.

As I said, it was all working perfectly fine until the last week or so.

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Chris Collins 

Is anonymous access stil enable on site level, Confluence global permissions

Could you share the link, I would be an anonymous user?

[Chris Collins]

Hi Marc,

Yes it is enabled at global level and on the space level.

Link here: https://securus-software.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SSKB/overview

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Chris Collins 

I can click anywhere and see the articles.

I can also can go back to the home page. I don't need to login anywhere.

It might be related to users from another company also having access to another Confluence with their account where login is required.

Can one of your trusted partner try it in an incognito window or other browser?

[Chris Collins]

Our partner don't have confluence and didn't even know what it was so they definitely don't have an account. They've tried icognito and other browsers but same results unfortunately. 

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Chris Collins 

Still might be that the partners devices or network have policies restriction etc..

I could access this without issues from my ene.

So I don't think its Confluence or the permissions, but something on your partners devices, what kind of login message do they see?

[Chris Collins]

Its the standard login message, "Log in to continue" after viewing a page fore 2-5 seconds.

It happens in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, private windows in all browser and no extensions in use.

I'm trying to get a video to show it.

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Chris Collins 

Still strange, I have done an incognito window/ normal window and used the url you provided, I can browse anywhere and no login screen (no mater the timeframe, I leave a page open)

Can you check a specific user, what are the users permissions in Atlassian administration?

Can you also check what permissions are granted to a new user, by default, or for users from this client.

Are they using the correct URL?

[Chris Collins]

They are definitely using the correct URL.

I'm not sure what you're after for the user permissions, we don't add user accounts for random users, we want it to be open to the public without a login.

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Chris Collins 

Within the global user administration of your instance, how are the user access settings set?

If someone accesses the site anonymous, but then tries to login, do they get an account or access to your instance and what app access do they get then?

[Jon Hermiz]

Any updates on this ?  Is the atlassian team on here to look into this issue?  We are still experiencing this issue even though the space and global level permissions allow for anon access.  We also have public links turned on.