CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-28112NVD status: Modified

discourse: Server-Side Request Forgery

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2023-28112 is a high-severity server-side request forgery vulnerability in discourse, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected discourse versions: beta < 3.1.0.beta3; tests-passed < 3.1.0.beta3. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.58% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of discourse you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Discoursediscoursebeta < 3.1.0.beta3; tests-passed < 3.1.0.beta3Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
NoneAvailability is not affected.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.15.9MediumCNA (github.com)
CVSS 3.18.1HighNVD

Official description

Discourse is an open-source discussion platform. Prior to version 3.1.0.beta3 of the `beta` and `tests-passed` branches, some user provided URLs were being passed to FastImage without SSRF protection. Insufficient protections could enable attackers to trigger outbound network connections from the Discourse server to private IP addresses. This affects any site running the `tests-passed` or `beta` branches versions 3.1.0.beta2 and prior. This issue is patched in version 3.1.0.beta3 of the `beta` and `tests-passed` branches. There are no known workarounds.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Server-Side Request Forgery

The web server receives a URL or similar request from an upstream component and retrieves the contents of this URL, but it does not sufficiently ensure that the request is being sent to the expected destination.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • If there is a known list of applications, IP, hostname, and/or domains to which the product is allowed to communicate, then use allowlists to ensure that outgoing requests are restricted to these known entities. The allowlists could be in the application code or possibly enforced by firewalls or network segmentation.
  • If the product is expected to be able to connect to arbitrary IP addresses or domains, consider using a denylist that includes private network addresses, internal domain names, etc. The denylist could be in the application code or possibly enforced by firewalls or network segmentation.

More Server-Side Request Forgery vulnerabilities (CWE-918)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in discourse

All discourse vulnerabilities

Recent Server-Side Request Forgery vulnerabilities

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