Staff-context script execution via unescaped LLM output
Published Mar 19, 2026 · Updated Mar 19, 2026
Stored XSS in affected Discourse 2026.1, 2026.2, and 2026.3 releases allows remote authenticated users to run scripts in staff browsers. The llm_triage and FlagPost paths insert raw LLM response and automation-name values into review flag reasons that the interface treats as HTML-safe, without first escaping them. Exploitation requires AI triage to process attacker-influenced post content and an administrator or moderator to open the resulting flagged post; the payload then executes in that staff member's browser context.
Summary
What happened
Stored XSS in affected Discourse 2026.1, 2026.2, and 2026.3 releases allows remote authenticated users to run scripts in staff browsers. The llm_triage and FlagPost paths insert raw LLM response and automation-name values into review flag reasons that the interface treats as HTML-safe, without first escaping them. Exploitation requires AI triage to process attacker-influenced post content and an administrator or moderator to open the resulting flagged post; the payload then executes in that staff member's browser context.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-27740
- Published
- Mar 19, 2026
- Updated
- Mar 19, 2026
- Vendor
- Discourse
- Product
- Discourse
- Classifications
- CWE-79, T1059.007
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 19, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 19, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=>= 2026.1.0-latest, < 2026.1.2
- Affected versionversion=>= 2026.2.0-latest, < 2026.2.1
- Affected versionversion== 2026.3.0-latest
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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