CVE-2021-41082Network attack vector

Private-message metadata disclosure via unscoped group join

Published Sep 20, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Information disclosure in Discourse tests-passed commit ddb4583 allows remote attackers to view private-message titles and participants. The private_messages_for query omits its group-ID restriction when the requesting user has no message-enabled groups, so its join accepts private topics allowed to any group. The inbox exposes only titles and participant identities; post bodies remain protected, and affectedness is limited to the brief tests-passed commit window.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.79%
Next 30 days · Sep 17, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Information disclosure in Discourse tests-passed commit ddb4583 allows remote attackers to view private-message titles and participants. The private_messages_for query omits its group-ID restriction when the requesting user has no message-enabled groups, so its join accepts private topics allowed to any group. The inbox exposes only titles and participant identities; post bodies remain protected, and affectedness is limited to the brief tests-passed commit window.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-41082
Published
Sep 20, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Discourse
Product
Discourse
Classifications
CWE-863, CWE-200, T1213
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 20, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=>= tests-passed = ddb4583, < tests-passed = 27bad28

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Discourse · Discourseversion=>= tests-passed = ddb4583, < tests-passed = 27bad28

Published CVSS scores

7.5GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 11, 2026Sep 17, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 17, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
CWE-200Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
T1213Data from Information Repositories

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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