CVE-2023-30538
Stored Cross-site Scripting via improper sanitization of svg files in Discourse
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. Due to the improper sanitization of SVG files, an attacker can execute arbitrary JavaScript on the users’ browsers by uploading a crafted SVG file. This issue is patched in the latest stable and tests-passed versions of Discourse. Users are advised to upgrade. For users unable to upgrade there are two possible workarounds: enable CDN handing of uploads (and ensure the CDN sanitizes SVG files) or disable SVG file uploads by ensuring that the authorized extensions site setting does not include svg (or reset that setting to the default, by default Discourse doesn't enable SVG uploads by users).
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- 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
Stored Cross-site Scripting via improper sanitization of svg files in Discourse
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. Due to the improper sanitization of SVG files, an attacker can execute arbitrary JavaScript on the users’ browsers by uploading a crafted SVG file. This issue is patched in the latest stable and tests-passed versions of Discourse. Users are advised to upgrade. For users unable to upgrade there are two possible workarounds: enable CDN handing of uploads (and ensure the CDN sanitizes SVG files) or disable SVG file uploads by ensuring that the authorized extensions site setting does not include svg (or reset that setting to the default, by default Discourse doesn't enable SVG uploads by users).
- Record
CVE-2023-30538- CVSS 3.1
- 5.4 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-34928
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. Due to the improper sanitization of SVG files, an attacker can execute arbitrary JavaScript on the users’ browsers by uploading a crafted SVG file. This issue is patched in the latest stable and tests-passed versions of Discourse. Users are advised to upgrade. For users unable to upgrade there are two possible workarounds: enable CDN handing of uploads (and ensure the CDN sanitizes SVG files) or disable SVG file uploads by ensuring that the authorized extensions site setting does not include svg (or reset that setting to the default, by default Discourse doesn't enable SVG uploads by users).
- Record
EUVD-2023-34928- CVSS 3.1
- 5.4 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/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. Due to the improper sanitization of SVG files, an attacker can execute arbitrary JavaScript on the users’ browsers by uploading a crafted SVG file. This issue is patched in the latest stable and tests-passed versions of Discourse. Users are advised to upgrade. For users unable to upgrade there are two possible workarounds: enable CDN handing of uploads (and ensure the CDN sanitizes SVG files) or disable SVG file uploads by ensuring that the authorized extensions site setting does not include svg (or reset that setting to the default, by default Discourse doesn't enable SVG uploads by users).
- Record
CVE-2023-30538- CVSS 3.1
- 5.4 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.4 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Stored Cross-site Scripting via improper sanitization of svg files in Discourse
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. Due to the improper sanitization of SVG files, an attacker can execute arbitrary JavaScript on the users’ browsers by uploading a crafted SVG file. This issue is patched in the latest stable and tests-passed versions of Discourse. Users are advised to upgrade. For users unable to upgrade there are two possible workarounds: enable CDN handing of uploads (and ensure the CDN sanitizes SVG files) or disable SVG file uploads by ensuring that the authorized extensions site setting does not include svg (or reset that setting to the default, by default Discourse doesn't enable SVG uploads by users).
- Record
CVE-2023-30538- CVSS 3.1
- 5.4 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-discourse-2023-30538 No score
Stored Cross-site Scripting via improper sanitization of svg files in Discourse
Discourse is an open source platform for community discussion. Due to the improper sanitization of SVG files, an attacker can execute arbitrary JavaScript on the users’ browsers by uploading a crafted SVG file. This issue is patched in the latest stable and tests-passed versions of Discourse. Users are advised to upgrade. For users unable to upgrade there are two possible workarounds: enable CDN handing of uploads (and ensure the CDN sanitizes SVG files) or disable SVG file uploads by ensuring that the authorized extensions site setting does not include svg (or reset that setting to the default, by default Discourse doesn't enable SVG uploads by users).
- Record
BIT-discourse-2023-30538- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
discourseBitnami |
before 3.1.0, through 3.0.2 | 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-2023-30538 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.4) in Discourse, published April 18, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.36%, the 30th percentile. Fixed in discourse 3.1.0.