CVE-2023-23935

CVE-2023-23935 is a low-severity vulnerability in Discourse with a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-200.

Key facts

Description

Discourse is an open-source messaging platform. In versions 3.0.1 and prior on the `stable` branch and versions 3.1.0.beta2 and prior on the `beta` and `tests-passed` branches, the count of personal messages displayed for a tag is a count of all personal messages regardless of whether the personal message is visible to a given user. As a result, any users can technically poll a sensitive tag to determine if a new personal message is created even if the user does not have access to the personal message. In the patched versions, the count of personal messages tagged with a given tag is hidden by default. To revert to the old behaviour of displaying the count of personal messages for a given tag, an admin may enable the `display_personal_messages_tag_counts` site setting.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-23935?
Discourse is an open-source messaging platform. In versions 3.0.1 and prior on the `stable` branch and versions 3.1.0.beta2 and prior on the `beta` and `tests-passed` branches, the count of personal messages displayed for a tag is a count of all personal messages regardless of whether the personal message is visible to a given user. As a result, any users can technically poll a sensitive tag to determine if a new personal message is created even if the user does not have access to the personal message. In the patched versions, the count of personal messages tagged with a given tag is hidden by default. To revert to the old behaviour of displaying the count of personal messages for a given tag, an admin may enable the `display_personal_messages_tag_counts` site setting.
How severe is CVE-2023-23935?
CVE-2023-23935 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.5, rated low severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2023-23935 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (39th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-23935?
CVE-2023-23935 primarily affects Discourse. In total, 208 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-23935?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2023-23935 published?
CVE-2023-23935 was published on 2023-03-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (208)

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