Using Cookie based Authentication for REST API Through AWS Load Balancer

Platform Notice: Data Center Only - This article only applies to Atlassian products on the Data Center platform.

Note that this KB was created for the Data Center version of the product. Data Center KBs for non-Data-Center-specific features may also work for Server versions of the product, however they have not been tested. Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.

*Except Fisheye and Crucible

Problem

When using Cookie-based authentication for REST API's through an Amazon Web Service Load balancer, you will need to provide the AWS ALB cookie alongside the Jira Session cookie.

The requests can come back empty if the proper cookie is not used.

Diagnosis

Environment

  • Any Jira Server setup that utilizes an AWS load balancer and is using cookie-based authentication for REST.

Resolution

The correct format for querying in this method is the following.

1 curl -X GET 'url' -H "Cookie:AWSALB=[cookie value]; JSESSIONID=[cookie value];"

For example,

1 curl -X GET 'https://getsupport.atlassian.com/rest/api/2/issue/fake-issue' -H "Cookie:AWSALB=AD879D3912AEFE25B8593E6BA58B7FA4501A4E70C0F6150AC773568513B44E10BC0E7134A23BEB5E258411A4BBD92E1E180ABFB791DD634D921F70FA0A736815F636F29BB693D3B6B96D4DB7921760B570C7509077; JESSIONID= 3EEA0827F60EF36A230E32BE0912345A;"
Updated on April 8, 2025

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