CVE-2023-38498Network attack vector

Authenticated service delays via unbounded defer queue

Published Jul 28, 2023 · Updated Oct 10, 2024

Uncontrolled resource consumption in Discourse before 3.0.6 and 3.1.0.beta1 through 3.1.0.beta6 allows remote authenticated users to delay jobs. The shared Scheduler::Defer queue accepted unbounded hijacked-response tasks without per-database limits or fair scheduling, letting one site's requests monopolize processing. Exploitation requires a multisite installation; the consequence is delayed deferred work for other sites, not a reported crash or data access.

CVSS severity4.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.70%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled resource consumption in Discourse before 3.0.6 and 3.1.0.beta1 through 3.1.0.beta6 allows remote authenticated users to delay jobs. The shared Scheduler::Defer queue accepted unbounded hijacked-response tasks without per-database limits or fair scheduling, letting one site's requests monopolize processing. Exploitation requires a multisite installation; the consequence is delayed deferred work for other sites, not a reported crash or data access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38498
Published
Jul 28, 2023
Updated
Oct 10, 2024
Vendor
Discourse
Product
Discourse
Classifications
CWE-400, CWE-770, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 28, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 10, 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=< 3.0.6
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 3.1.0.beta1, < 3.1.0.beta7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Discourse · Discourseversion=< 3.0.6; version=>= 3.1.0.beta1, < 3.1.0.beta7

Published CVSS scores

4.3GitHub Security AdvisoryCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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-400Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
CWE-770Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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