CVE-2023-36466Network attack vector

Invalid topic titles via skipped category-change validation

Published Jul 14, 2023 · Updated Oct 22, 2024

Improper input validation in Discourse allows remote authenticated users to save invalid topic titles during category changes. The topic edit path changes the category without running the Topic model's title validators, bypassing length, emoji-count, and presence checks. An account permitted to edit and recategorize a topic can persist a blank, overlength, or emoji-heavy title, compromising topic integrity.

CVSS severity4.6
Medium
EPSS probability0.40%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in Discourse allows remote authenticated users to save invalid topic titles during category changes. The topic edit path changes the category without running the Topic model's title validators, bypassing length, emoji-count, and presence checks. An account permitted to edit and recategorize a topic can persist a blank, overlength, or emoji-heavy title, compromising topic integrity.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-36466
Published
Jul 14, 2023
Updated
Oct 22, 2024
Vendor
Discourse
Product
Discourse
Classifications
CWE-20, T1565.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 22, 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=beta < 3.1.0.beta6
  2. Affected versionversion=stable < 3.0.5
  3. Affected versionversion=tests-passed < 3.1.0.beta6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Discourse · Discourseversion=beta < 3.1.0.beta6; version=stable < 3.0.5; version=tests-passed < 3.1.0.beta6

Published CVSS scores

3.5GitHub_M CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
4.6GitHub Security AdvisoryCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
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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