CVE-2022-46177
Discourse password reset link can lead to in account takeover if user changes to a new email
Discourse is an option source discussion platform. Prior to version 2.8.14 on the stable branch and version 3.0.0.beta16 on the beta and tests-passed branches, when a user requests for a password reset link email, then changes their primary email, the old reset email is still valid. When the old reset email is used to reset the password, the Discourse account's primary email would be re-linked to the old email. If the old email address is compromised or has transferred ownership, this leads to an account takeover. This is however mitigated by the SiteSetting email_token_valid_hours which is currently 48 hours. Users should upgrade to versions 2.8.14 or 3.0.0.beta15 to receive a patch. As a workaround, lower email_token_valid_hours as needed.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
5.7
Discourse password reset link can lead to in account takeover if user changes to a new email
Discourse is an option source discussion platform. Prior to version 2.8.14 on the stable branch and version 3.0.0.beta16 on the beta and tests-passed branches, when a user requests for a password reset link email, then changes their primary email, the old reset email is still valid. When the old reset email is used to reset the password, the Discourse account's primary email would be re-linked to the old email. If the old email address is compromised or has transferred ownership, this leads to an account takeover. This is however mitigated by the SiteSetting email_token_valid_hours which is currently 48 hours. Users should upgrade to versions 2.8.14 or 3.0.0.beta15 to receive a patch. As a workaround, lower email_token_valid_hours as needed.
- Record
CVE-2022-46177- CVSS 3.1
- 5.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-613
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-48998
5.7
Discourse is an option source discussion platform. Prior to version 2.8.14 on the stable branch and version 3.0.0.beta16 on the beta and tests-passed branches, when a user requests for a password reset link email, then changes their primary email, the old reset email is still valid. When the old reset email is used to reset the password, the Discourse account's primary email would be re-linked to the old email. If the old email address is compromised or has transferred ownership, this leads to an account takeover. This is however mitigated by the SiteSetting email_token_valid_hours which is currently 48 hours. Users should upgrade to versions 2.8.14 or 3.0.0.beta15 to receive a patch. As a workaround, lower email_token_valid_hours as needed.
- Record
EUVD-2022-48998- CVSS 3.1
- 5.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
5.7
Discourse is an option source discussion platform. Prior to version 2.8.14 on the stable branch and version 3.0.0.beta16 on the beta and tests-passed branches, when a user requests for a password reset link email, then changes their primary email, the old reset email is still valid. When the old reset email is used to reset the password, the Discourse account's primary email would be re-linked to the old email. If the old email address is compromised or has transferred ownership, this leads to an account takeover. This is however mitigated by the SiteSetting email_token_valid_hours which is currently 48 hours. Users should upgrade to versions 2.8.14 or 3.0.0.beta15 to receive a patch. As a workaround, lower email_token_valid_hours as needed.
- Record
CVE-2022-46177- CVSS 3.1
- 5.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-613
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
5.7
Discourse password reset link can lead to in account takeover if user changes to a new email
Discourse is an option source discussion platform. Prior to version 2.8.14 on the stable branch and version 3.0.0.beta16 on the beta and tests-passed branches, when a user requests for a password reset link email, then changes their primary email, the old reset email is still valid. When the old reset email is used to reset the password, the Discourse account's primary email would be re-linked to the old email. If the old email address is compromised or has transferred ownership, this leads to an account takeover. This is however mitigated by the SiteSetting email_token_valid_hours which is currently 48 hours. Users should upgrade to versions 2.8.14 or 3.0.0.beta15 to receive a patch. As a workaround, lower email_token_valid_hours as needed.
- Record
CVE-2022-46177- CVSS 3.1
- 5.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-613
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-discourse-2022-46177 No score
Discourse password reset link can lead to in account takeover if user changes to a new email
Discourse is an option source discussion platform. Prior to version 2.8.14 on the stable branch and version 3.0.0.beta16 on the beta and tests-passed branches, when a user requests for a password reset link email, then changes their primary email, the old reset email is still valid. When the old reset email is used to reset the password, the Discourse account's primary email would be re-linked to the old email. If the old email address is compromised or has transferred ownership, this leads to an account takeover. This is however mitigated by the SiteSetting email_token_valid_hours which is currently 48 hours. Users should upgrade to versions 2.8.14 or 3.0.0.beta15 to receive a patch. As a workaround, lower email_token_valid_hours as needed.
- Record
BIT-discourse-2022-46177- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
discourseBitnami |
before 2.8.14 | 2.8.14 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2022-46177 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.7) in Discourse, published January 5, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.74%, the 54th percentile. Fixed in discourse 2.8.14.
References
github.com/discourse/discourse/security/advisories/GHSA-5www-jxvf-vrc3
github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/4bf306f0e3bf54a9ef9c5886bf1cfb85c20da570
github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/83944213b2b2454af80d0407f60d67641b1f0b38
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-46177
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2022/46xxx/CVE-2022-46177.json