Discourse is an open-source discussion platform. Prior to version 3.0.2 of the `stable` branch and version 3.1.0.beta3 of the `beta` and `tests-passed` branches, a user logged as an administrator can request backups multiple times, which will eat up all the connections to the DB. If this is done on a site using multisite, then it can affect the whole cluster. The vulnerability is patched in version 3.0.2 of the `stable` branch and version 3.1.0.beta3 of the `beta` and `tests-passed` branches. There are no known workarounds.
This vulnerability carries a MEDIUM severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 4.5, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity though user interaction is required . The vulnerability impacts and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from discourse organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Reported in 2023, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.
2023-03-17T17:15:11.517
2026-06-17T05:46:53.213
Modified
CVSSv3.1: 4.5 (MEDIUM)
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | discourse | discourse | ≤ 3.0.1 | Yes |
| Application | discourse | discourse | < 3.1.0 | Yes |
| Application | discourse | discourse | 3.1.0 | Yes |
| Application | discourse | discourse | 3.1.0 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For discourse's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.