Strange group behaviour when user is member of groups Confluence cannot see

In large enterprises, users can belong to a large number of groups.
Our LDAP bind account has a partial view on the LDAP: it cannot see al the groups in the LDAP, only a potion of the groups (but all the groups that are Confluence related).
When a member belongs to groups that Confluence cannot access, Confluence often logs the following line:
[atlassian.confluence.security.DefaultSpacePermissionManager] hasPermissionViaGroups null group returned by class $Proxy384
When we display the groups of a user (in the user profile, for instance), each acessible group is normally displayed, and each group Confluence can't access is displayed as an already displayed group.
For instance, the following groups are displayed:
H310-WikiTest-Members
H310-Service1-Administrators
H310-SubContractors
H310-SubContractors
H310-SubContractors
test-coordinator
when the user is member of H310-WikiTest-Members , H310-Service1-Administrators, H310-SubContractors, test-coordinator (all these are accessible), plus two groups that Confluence can't access.
When we try to access the 'Edit Group' functionality in the 'Manage Users' functionality, we have the following stack trace:
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Group cannot be null.
at com.atlassian.confluence.user.DefaultUserAccessor.isReadOnly(DefaultUserAccessor.java:358)
at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor2449.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:324)
at org.springframework.aop.support.AopUtils.invokeJoinpointUsingReflection(AopUtils.java:296)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.invokeJoinpoint(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:177)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:144)
at com.atlassian.spring.interceptors.SpringProfilingInterceptor.invoke(SpringProfilingInterceptor.java:20)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:166)
at org.springframework.transaction.interceptor.TransactionInterceptor.invoke(TransactionInterceptor.java:107)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:166)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.JdkDynamicAopProxy.invoke(JdkDynamicAopProxy.java:204)
at $Proxy384.isReadOnly(Unknown Source)
at com.atlassian.confluence.user.actions.EditUserGroupsAction.loadMemberGroups(EditUserGroupsAction.java:68)
at com.atlassian.confluence.user.actions.EditUserGroupsAction.loadLists(EditUserGroupsAction.java:54)
at com.atlassian.confluence.user.actions.EditUserGroupsAction.doDefault(EditUserGroupsAction.java:42)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:324)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invokeAction(DefaultActionInvocation.java:302)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:170)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:35)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.DefaultWorkflowInterceptor.intercept(DefaultWorkflowInterceptor.java:55)
at com.atlassian.confluence.core.ConfluenceWorkflowInterceptor.intercept(ConfluenceWorkflowInterceptor.java:39)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:35)
at com.atlassian.confluence.core.ConfluenceValidationInterceptor.intercept(ConfluenceValidationInterceptor.java:16)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:35)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.atlassian.confluence.util.LoggingContextInterceptor.intercept(LoggingContextInterceptor.java:48)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.atlassian.confluence.security.actions.PermissionCheckInterceptor.intercept(PermissionCheckInterceptor.java:54)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.atlassian.confluence.pages.actions.PageAwareInterceptor.intercept(PageAwareInterceptor.java:114)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.atlassian.confluence.spaces.actions.SpaceAwareInterceptor.intercept(SpaceAwareInterceptor.java:67)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:35)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.atlassian.confluence.core.actions.LastModifiedInterceptor.intercept(LastModifiedInterceptor.java:39)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.atlassian.confluence.core.ConfluenceAutowireInterceptor.intercept(ConfluenceAutowireInterceptor.java:25)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:35)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:35)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.atlassian.xwork.interceptors.XWorkTransactionInterceptor.intercept(XWorkTransactionInterceptor.java:98)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:35)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:165)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionProxy.execute(DefaultActionProxy.java:115)
at com.opensymphony.webwork.dispatcher.ServletDispatcher.serviceAction(ServletDispatcher.java:229)
at com.opensymphony.webwork.dispatcher.ServletDispatcher.service(ServletDispatcher.java:199)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:856)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.servlet.ServletWrapper.service(ServletWrapper.java:1572)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.servlet.ServletWrapper.service(ServletWrapper.java:1521)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:136)
at com.ibm.ws.xd.webcontainer.extensions.RebalancerFilter.doFilter(RebalancerFilter.java:230)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.opensymphony.module.sitemesh.filter.PageFilter.parsePage(PageFilter.java:118)
at com.atlassian.confluence.util.profiling.ProfilingPageFilter.parsePage(ProfilingPageFilter.java:124)
at com.opensymphony.module.sitemesh.filter.PageFilter.doFilter(PageFilter.java:54)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.core.filters.ServletContextThreadLocalFilter.doFilter(ServletContextThreadLocalFilter.java:21)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.confluence.util.LoggingContextFilter.doFilter(LoggingContextFilter.java:49)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.confluence.util.UserThreadLocalFilter.doFilter(UserThreadLocalFilter.java:44)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.seraph.filter.SecurityFilter.doFilter(SecurityFilter.java:192)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.seraph.filter.TrustedApplicationsFilter.doFilter(TrustedApplicationsFilter.java:112)
at com.atlassian.confluence.util.AbstractBootstrapHotSwappingFilter.doFilter(AbstractBootstrapHotSwappingFilter.java:28)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.seraph.filter.BaseLoginFilter.doFilter(BaseLoginFilter.java:110)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.confluence.util.ClusterHeaderFilter.doFilter(ClusterHeaderFilter.java:35)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.johnson.filters.AbstractJohnsonFilter.doFilter(AbstractJohnsonFilter.java:72)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at org.springframework.orm.hibernate.support.OpenSessionInViewFilter.doFilterInternal(OpenSessionInViewFilter.java:170)
at com.atlassian.spring.filter.FlushingSpringSessionInViewFilter.doFilterInternal(FlushingSpringSessionInViewFilter.java:29)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:75)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.util.profiling.filters.ProfilingFilter.doFilter(ProfilingFilter.java:140)
at com.atlassian.core.filters.ProfilingAndErrorFilter.doFilter(ProfilingAndErrorFilter.java:27)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.confluence.core.datetime.RequestTimeThreadLocalFilter.doFilter(RequestTimeThreadLocalFilter.java:34)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.confluence.util.RequestCacheThreadLocalFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheThreadLocalFilter.java:25)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.core.filters.gzip.GzipFilter.doFilter(GzipFilter.java:61)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.atlassian.core.filters.AbstractEncodingFilter.doFilter(AbstractEncodingFilter.java:33)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(FilterInstanceWrapper.java:142)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:121)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain._doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:82)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.servlet.ServletWrapper.handleRequest(ServletWrapper.java:759)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebApp.handleRequest(WebApp.java:3177)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebGroup.handleRequest(WebGroup.java:253)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.VirtualHost.handleRequest(VirtualHost.java:229)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.WebContainer.handleRequest(WebContainer.java:1970)
at com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.channel.WCChannelLink.ready(WCChannelLink.java:114)
at com.ibm.ws.http.channel.inbound.impl.HttpInboundLink.handleDiscrimination(HttpInboundLink.java:472)
at com.ibm.ws.http.channel.inbound.impl.HttpInboundLink.handleNewInformation(HttpInboundLink.java:411)
at com.ibm.ws.http.channel.inbound.impl.HttpInboundLink.ready(HttpInboundLink.java:288)
at com.ibm.ws.tcp.channel.impl.NewConnectionInitialReadCallback.sendToDiscriminaters(NewConnectionInitialReadCallback.java:207)
at com.ibm.ws.tcp.channel.impl.NewConnectionInitialReadCallback.complete(NewConnectionInitialReadCallback.java:109)
at com.ibm.ws.tcp.channel.impl.WorkQueueManager.requestComplete(WorkQueueManager.java:566)
at com.ibm.ws.tcp.channel.impl.WorkQueueManager.attemptIO(WorkQueueManager.java:619)
at com.ibm.ws.tcp.channel.impl.WorkQueueManager.workerRun(WorkQueueManager.java:952)
at com.ibm.ws.tcp.channel.impl.WorkQueueManager$Worker.run(WorkQueueManager.java:1039)
at com.ibm.ws.util.ThreadPool$Worker.run(ThreadPool.java:1471)