---
title: "Content Formatting Toolkit for Confluence Cloud - Secure Configuration Guide"
canonical: "https://support.covectors.io/space/CCAD/1727070212/Content%20Formatting%20Toolkit%20for%20Confluence%20Cloud%20-%20Secure%20Configuration%20Guide"
format: markdown
---
## 1. Overview

**Purpose**    
This guide defines how to securely configure and use the **Content Formatting Toolkit for Confluence** app in Confluence Cloud.

**Scope**

- **In scope**
  - Confluence app: **Content Formatting Toolkit** **for Confluence Cloud**
  - Macros included in the app (e.g. Tabs, Expanders, Page Status, Progress Bar, Panels, Notifications, Buttons, Footnotes, Tooltips, etc.)
- **Out of scope**
  - Confluence core platform configuration and hardening

**Audience**

- Confluence administrators
- Space administrators
- Security / compliance reviewers
- Confluence Users using Content Formatting Toolkit macros

## 2. App Description & Security-Relevant Behavior

### 2.1 Functional Overview

- Content Formatting Toolkit is a **content presentation** app for Confluence that:
  - Provides **a set of macros** to structure and organize content in Confluence page.
- List of Macros included in App:
  - Tabs, Expanders, Panels, Page Status, Progress Bar, Notifications, Buttons, Tooltips, Footnotes.

### 2.2 Data Handled by the App

| **Macro type** | **Data source** | **Data stored outside Confluence?** | **Best practices** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tabs Macros | - Tab Title entered by users in Tabs Pane macros as parameters.
- Page content entered by users under each tab in Tab Group macro. | No | Used to structure page content - reflects page content. |
| Expander Macros | - Expander title entered by users in Expander box macro.
- Page content entered by users under each expander in Expander group macro. | No | Used to structure page content - reflects page content. |
| Panels | - Page content entered by users in macros body | No | May highlight sensitive info – avoid for secrets. |
| Notifications | - Notification title and content entered by users in macro as parameters | No | May highlight sensitive info – avoid for secrets. |
| Page Status | - Selected status from 4 preset statuses provided by App | No | Can reveal details about actions required. |
| Progress Macros | - Progress information added by users as macro parameters | No | Can reveal workflow state |
| Buttons | - URLs and button customization provided by users | No | Ensure links are trusted and use HTTPS. |
| Tooltips | - In page references with description added by user as macro parameter | No | Don’t put credentials / secrets into tooltips. |
| Footnotes/Footnotes Summary | - In page references with description added by user as macro parameter | No |  |

> 📝 All data stored by macros are stored as macro parameters or as page properties. By inheritance all data are stored in Confluence Cloud where pages are created.

## 3. Installation & Permissions

### 3.1 Who Can add, Edit, Delete the Macros to/from pages

Usage of macros is governed by standard Confluence permissions:

| **View Macros data** | **Add, Edit, Delete** | ***References*** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Macro data can only be viewed if user has:<br>**Level 1  **[Global-level permissions] **:** Access permission to Confluence.<br>**Level 2 **[Space-level permissions] **:** View permission in Space where page exists.<br>**Level 3 **[Content-level permissions] **:** User is not excluded from viewing page via page restrictions. | Macro data can only be added or edited if user has:<br>**Level 1 **[Global-level permissions] : Access permission to Confluence.<br>**Level 2 **[Space-level permissions]  **:**<br>- View permission in space where page exists.
- Add permission in space where page exists.<br>**Level 3 **[Content-level permissions] **:** User is not excluded from viewing page via page restrictions. | [https://support.atlassian.com/confluence-cloud/docs/what-are-confluence-cloud-permissions-and-restrictions/](https://support.atlassian.com/confluence-cloud/docs/what-are-confluence-cloud-permissions-and-restrictions/) |

- **Recommended configuration**
  - Restrict **edit** permissions in sensitive spaces (e.g. Security, HR, Finance).

> ⚠️ Formatting Toolkit does not introduce a separate permission model; it relies on Confluence’s existing permissions. Access to macro content is identical to access to the hosting page


## 4. Secure Usage Guidelines for Macros

Use this section to give **practical rules** for authors.

### 4.1 General Rules

- Do **not** store the following in any macro fields:
  - Passwords, API keys, access tokens, private keys.
  - Highly confidential personal data, unless the underlying page is already approved to hold such data.
- Treat macros as **presentation layers**: they should **reorganize** existing content, not introduce new sensitive data types.

### 4.2 Macro-Specific Guidance

| Macro | Recommended secure usage | Prohibited / risky usage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tabs | Group documentation sections logically. | Hiding security findings hoping “no one sees them”. |
| Expanders | Hide long but *non-sensitive* content for readability. | Using expanders to “hide” secrets or credentials. |
| Progress Bar | Show task progress or process stages. | Using progress labels that expose confidential project names. |
| Notifications | Draw attention to non-sensitive but important info. | Displaying personal data or security incidents in clear. |
| Buttons | Link to internal tools over HTTPS. | Linking to unknown/untrusted external URLs. |
| Tooltips/Footnotes/Footnotes Summary | Provide contextual explanations, references, documentation links. | Storing personal identifiers, secrets or raw logs. |

---

## 5. Configuration Checklist

Provide a short checklist an admin can actually follow.

**For Confluence admins**

- [ ] App installed only from Atlassian Marketplace (verified publisher).
- [ ] Requested scopes reviewed and approved.
- [ ] App enabled only on required instances/environments (Prod, Staging, etc.).
- [ ] Sensitive spaces (Security, HR, Finance) have restricted edit permissions.
- [ ] App installation / update events documented.

**For space admins**

- [ ] Edit permissions limited to trusted contributors.
- [ ] Usage of macros in sensitive pages reviewed.
- [ ] No secrets or credentials stored in macro parameters or fields.

**For content authors**

- [ ] Only non-sensitive content placed inside macros.
- [ ] Buttons link to trusted HTTPS destinations.
- [ ] Page status/progress labels do not leak confidential project details.

## 6. Known Limitations / Non-Goals

- Content Formatting Toolkit **does not**:
  - Provide encryption features or key management.
  - Implement its own access control system.
  - Send data to third‑party analytics or tracking systems (verify and state explicitly).
- Macros **inherit** Confluence page permissions and cannot be used to expose content from other pages the user cannot access.