CVE-2023-29196
HTML injection via topic embedding in Discourse
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. This vulnerability is not exploitable on the default install of Discourse. A custom feature must be enabled for it to work at all, and the attacker’s payload must pass the CSP to be executed. However, if an attacker succeeds in embedding Javascript that does pass the CSP, it could result in session hijacking for any users that view the attacker’s post. The vulnerability is patched in the latest tests-passed, beta and stable branches. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should enable and/or restore your site's CSP to the default one provided with Discourse. Remove any embed-able hosts configured.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
HTML injection via topic embedding in Discourse
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. This vulnerability is not exploitable on the default install of Discourse. A custom feature must be enabled for it to work at all, and the attacker’s payload must pass the CSP to be executed. However, if an attacker succeeds in embedding Javascript that does pass the CSP, it could result in session hijacking for any users that view the attacker’s post. The vulnerability is patched in the latest tests-passed, beta and stable branches. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should enable and/or restore your site's CSP to the default one provided with Discourse. Remove any embed-able hosts configured.
- Record
CVE-2023-29196- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-32794
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. This vulnerability is not exploitable on the default install of Discourse. A custom feature must be enabled for it to work at all, and the attacker’s payload must pass the CSP to be executed. However, if an attacker succeeds in embedding Javascript that does pass the CSP, it could result in session hijacking for any users that view the attacker’s post. The vulnerability is patched in the latest tests-passed, beta and stable branches. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should enable and/or restore your site's CSP to the default one provided with Discourse. Remove any embed-able hosts configured.
- Record
EUVD-2023-32794- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
NVD
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. This vulnerability is not exploitable on the default install of Discourse. A custom feature must be enabled for it to work at all, and the attacker’s payload must pass the CSP to be executed. However, if an attacker succeeds in embedding Javascript that does pass the CSP, it could result in session hijacking for any users that view the attacker’s post. The vulnerability is patched in the latest tests-passed, beta and stable branches. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should enable and/or restore your site's CSP to the default one provided with Discourse. Remove any embed-able hosts configured.
- Record
CVE-2023-29196- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
HTML injection via topic embedding in Discourse
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. This vulnerability is not exploitable on the default install of Discourse. A custom feature must be enabled for it to work at all, and the attacker’s payload must pass the CSP to be executed. However, if an attacker succeeds in embedding Javascript that does pass the CSP, it could result in session hijacking for any users that view the attacker’s post. The vulnerability is patched in the latest tests-passed, beta and stable branches. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should enable and/or restore your site's CSP to the default one provided with Discourse. Remove any embed-able hosts configured.
- Record
CVE-2023-29196- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-discourse-2023-29196 No score
HTML injection via topic embedding in Discourse
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. This vulnerability is not exploitable on the default install of Discourse. A custom feature must be enabled for it to work at all, and the attacker’s payload must pass the CSP to be executed. However, if an attacker succeeds in embedding Javascript that does pass the CSP, it could result in session hijacking for any users that view the attacker’s post. The vulnerability is patched in the latest tests-passed, beta and stable branches. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should enable and/or restore your site's CSP to the default one provided with Discourse. Remove any embed-able hosts configured.
- Record
BIT-discourse-2023-29196- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
discourseBitnami |
before 3.1.0 | 3.1.0 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-29196 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.2) in Discourse, published April 18, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.31%, the 24th percentile. Fixed in discourse 3.1.0.