com.atlassian.crowd.exception.ApplicationPermissionException: Not allowed to update user '[User]' in directory '[Remote User Directory]'.

Platform Notice: Data Center Only - This article only applies to Atlassian apps 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

Symptoms

When adding a user, modifying the group membership or password, the following error is thrown:

2013-01-01 12:00:00,000 ERROR [http-8090-5] [atlassian.confluence.servlet.ConfluenceServletDispatcher] sendError Could not execute action – referer: http://localhost:8090/admin/users/setuserpassword.action?username=nmudd | url: /admin/users/dosetuserpassword.action | userName: admin com.atlassian.user.EntityException: com.atlassian.crowd.exception.OperationNotPermittedException: com.atlassian.crowd.exception.ApplicationPermissionException: Not allowed to update user '[User]' in directory '[Remote User Directory]'. at com.atlassian.crowd.embedded.atlassianuser.EmbeddedCrowdUserManager.alterPassword(EmbeddedCrowdUserManager.java:191) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)

Cause

There is a duplicate Directory pointing to a different directory; The Directory is not functional during the action.

Resolution

Make sure that all the Directories are functional and Working, and no Directory is pointing to invalid locations. This includes the IP Address of the given Directory.

Updated on April 21, 2026

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