CVE-2023-32301Network attack vector

Duplicate topic creation via ignored canonical URL

Published Jun 13, 2023 · Updated Jan 2, 2025

Improper output encoding in Discourse before 3.0.4 and 3.1.0.beta1 through 3.1.0.beta4 allows remote authenticated users to create duplicate topics. The TopicEmbed remote importer failed to adopt a same-host canonical URL returned while resolving an article, so equivalent URLs missed the existing embed lookup and created separate topics. Exploitation requires topic embedding to be enabled; the bounded consequence is duplicate forum content rather than disclosure or code execution.

CVSS severity3.1
Low
EPSS probability0.42%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper output encoding in Discourse before 3.0.4 and 3.1.0.beta1 through 3.1.0.beta4 allows remote authenticated users to create duplicate topics. The TopicEmbed remote importer failed to adopt a same-host canonical URL returned while resolving an article, so equivalent URLs missed the existing embed lookup and created separate topics. Exploitation requires topic embedding to be enabled; the bounded consequence is duplicate forum content rather than disclosure or code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-32301
Published
Jun 13, 2023
Updated
Jan 2, 2025
Vendor
Discourse
Product
Discourse
Classifications
CWE-116, T1565.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 13, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 2, 2025Record 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=< 3.0.4
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 3.1.0.beta1, < 3.1.0.beta5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Discourse · Discourseversion=< 3.0.4; version=>= 3.1.0.beta1, < 3.1.0.beta5

Published CVSS scores

3.1GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
5.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-116Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output
T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

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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