CVE-2023-31142 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

Discourse's general category permissions could be set back to default due to an Incorrect Permission Assignment vulnerability.

Understanding CVE-2023-31142

This vulnerability affects Discourse, an open-source discussion platform, allowing attackers to reset modified general category permissions back to the default settings.

What is CVE-2023-31142?

CVE-2023-31142 is a vulnerability in Discourse versions prior to 3.0.4 in the stable branch and versions before 3.1.0.beta5 in the beta and tests-passed branches. It stems from incorrect permission assignment for critical resources.

The Impact of CVE-2023-31142

The impact of this vulnerability allows malicious actors to potentially gain unauthorized access or control over Discourse forums by resetting category permissions.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-31142

The vulnerability is rated as low severity with a CVSS base score of 2.0. It requires high privileges for exploitation through a network, with user interaction required.

Vulnerability Description

Discourse versions prior to 3.0.4 and before 3.1.0.beta5 are affected, and if general category permissions are modified, they can be reverted back to default settings.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: Discourse
Product: Discourse
Affected Versions:
< 3.0.4

= 3.1.0.beta1, < 3.1.0.beta5

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating the general category permissions in affected Discourse versions.

Mitigation and Prevention

It is crucial to take immediate steps to secure Discourse forums and prevent unauthorized access.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Discourse to version 3.0.4 for the stable branch or version 3.1.0.beta5 for the beta and tests-passed branches. If modifying general category permissions, consider using a new category.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor permissions settings and promptly install security updates for Discourse to prevent similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply the patches provided in version 3.0.4 for the stable branch and version 3.1.0.beta5 for the beta and tests-passed branches to mitigate the CVE-2023-31142 vulnerability.