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CVE-2026-26973

Discourse doesn't scope reviewable notes to user-visible reviewables

4.3 MediumFix available

Discourse is an open source discussion platform. Versions prior to 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 have an IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) in ReviewableNotesController. When enable_category_group_moderation is enabled, a user belonging to a category moderation group can create or delete their own notes on any reviewable in the system, including reviewables in categories they do not moderate. The controller used an unscoped Reviewable.find and the ensure_can_see guard only checked whether the user could access the review queue in general, not whether they could access the specific reviewable. Only instances with enable_category_group_moderation enabled are affected. Staff users (admins/moderators) are not impacted as they already have access to all reviewables. The issue is patched in versions 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 by scoping the reviewable lookup through Reviewable.viewable_by(current_user). As a workaround, disable the enable_category_group_moderation site setting. This removes the attack surface as only staff users will have access to the review queue.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.18%Up 0.2 points since Feb 27, 2026
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used4.3

Discourse doesn't scope reviewable notes to user-visible reviewables

Discourse is an open source discussion platform. Versions prior to 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 have an IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) in ReviewableNotesController. When enable_category_group_moderation is enabled, a user belonging to a category moderation group can create or delete their own notes on any reviewable in the system, including reviewables in categories they do not moderate. The controller used an unscoped Reviewable.find and the ensure_can_see guard only checked whether the user could access the review queue in general, not whether they could access the specific reviewable. Only instances with enable_category_group_moderation enabled are affected. Staff users (admins/moderators) are not impacted as they already have access to all reviewables. The issue is patched in versions 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 by scoping the reviewable lookup through Reviewable.viewable_by(current_user). As a workaround, disable the enable_category_group_moderation site setting. This removes the attack surface as only staff users will have access to the review queue.

Record
CVE-2026-26973
CVSS 3.1
4.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-863
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-88784.3

Discourse is an open source discussion platform. Versions prior to 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 have an IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) in ReviewableNotesController. When enable_category_group_moderation is enabled, a user belonging to a category moderation group can create or delete their own notes on any reviewable in the system, including reviewables in categories they do not moderate. The controller used an unscoped Reviewable.find and the ensure_can_see guard only checked whether the user could access the review queue in general, not whether they could access the specific reviewable. Only instances with enable_category_group_moderation enabled are affected. Staff users (admins/moderators) are not impacted as they already have access to all reviewables. The issue is patched in versions 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 by scoping the reviewable lookup through Reviewable.viewable_by(current_user). As a workaround, disable the enable_category_group_moderation site setting. This removes the attack surface as only staff users will have access to the review queue.

Record
EUVD-2026-8878
CVSS 3.1
4.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD4.3

Discourse is an open source discussion platform. Versions prior to 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 have an IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) in ReviewableNotesController. When enable_category_group_moderation is enabled, a user belonging to a category moderation group can create or delete their own notes on any reviewable in the system, including reviewables in categories they do not moderate. The controller used an unscoped Reviewable.find and the ensure_can_see guard only checked whether the user could access the review queue in general, not whether they could access the specific reviewable. Only instances with enable_category_group_moderation enabled are affected. Staff users (admins/moderators) are not impacted as they already have access to all reviewables. The issue is patched in versions 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 by scoping the reviewable lookup through Reviewable.viewable_by(current_user). As a workaround, disable the enable_category_group_moderation site setting. This removes the attack surface as only staff users will have access to the review queue.

Record
CVE-2026-26973
CVSS 3.1
4.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-863, CWE-639
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV4.3

Discourse doesn't scope reviewable notes to user-visible reviewables

Discourse is an open source discussion platform. Versions prior to 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 have an IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) in ReviewableNotesController. When enable_category_group_moderation is enabled, a user belonging to a category moderation group can create or delete their own notes on any reviewable in the system, including reviewables in categories they do not moderate. The controller used an unscoped Reviewable.find and the ensure_can_see guard only checked whether the user could access the review queue in general, not whether they could access the specific reviewable. Only instances with enable_category_group_moderation enabled are affected. Staff users (admins/moderators) are not impacted as they already have access to all reviewables. The issue is patched in versions 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 by scoping the reviewable lookup through Reviewable.viewable_by(current_user). As a workaround, disable the enable_category_group_moderation site setting. This removes the attack surface as only staff users will have access to the review queue.

Record
CVE-2026-26973
CVSS 3.1
4.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-863
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVBIT-discourse-2026-26973No score

Discourse doesn't scope reviewable notes to user-visible reviewables

Discourse is an open source discussion platform. Versions prior to 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 have an IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) in ReviewableNotesController. When enable_category_group_moderation is enabled, a user belonging to a category moderation group can create or delete their own notes on any reviewable in the system, including reviewables in categories they do not moderate. The controller used an unscoped Reviewable.find and the ensure_can_see guard only checked whether the user could access the review queue in general, not whether they could access the specific reviewable. Only instances with enable_category_group_moderation enabled are affected. Staff users (admins/moderators) are not impacted as they already have access to all reviewables. The issue is patched in versions 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 by scoping the reviewable lookup through Reviewable.viewable_by(current_user). As a workaround, disable the enable_category_group_moderation site setting. This removes the attack surface as only staff users will have access to the review queue.

Record
BIT-discourse-2026-26973
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
discourse
Bitnami
before 2025.12.2, 2026.1.0 up to 2026.1.1
2025.12.22026.1.1

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2026-26973 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.3) in Discourse, published February 26, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.18%, the 7th percentile. Fixed in discourse 2025.12.2.

References

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