CVE-2026-28282: Discourse is an open-source discussion platform. Versions prior to 2026.3.0-latest.1, 2026.2.1, and 2026.1.2 have a security flaw in the discourse-pol...

Description

Discourse is an open-source discussion platform. Versions prior to 2026.3.0-latest.1, 2026.2.1, and 2026.1.2 have a security flaw in the discourse-policy plugin which allowed a user with policy creation permission to gain membership access to any private/restricted groups. Once membership to a private/restricted group has been obtained, the user will be able to read private topics that only the group has access to. Versions 2026.3.0-latest.1, 2026.2.1, and 2026.1.2 contain a patch. As a workaround, review all policies for the use of `add-users-to-group` and temporarily remove the attribute from the policy. Alternatively, disable the discourse-policy plugin by disabling the `policy_enabled` site setting.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

6.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVSS 4.0

2.3/10

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

EPSS Probability

0.33%

24.9th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-863

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Discourse	Discourse	>= 2026.1.0, < 2026.1.2
Discourse	Discourse	>= 2026.2.0, < 2026.2.1
Discourse	Discourse	2026.3.0

References

Timeline

Published: Mar 19, 2026
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-28282?

Discourse is an open-source discussion platform. Versions prior to 2026.3.0-latest.1, 2026.2.1, and 2026.1.2 have a security flaw in the discourse-policy plugin which allowed a user with policy creation permission to gain membership access to any private/restricted groups. Once membership to a private/restricted group has been obtained, the user will be able to read private topics that only the group has access to. Versions 2026.3.0-latest.1, 2026.2.1, and 2026.1.2 contain a patch. As a workaround, review all policies for the use of `add-users-to-group` and temporarily remove the attribute from the policy. Alternatively, disable the discourse-policy plugin by disabling the `policy_enabled` site setting.

How severe is CVE-2026-28282?

CVE-2026-28282 has a CVSS score of 2.3/10 (LOW severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.33% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2026-28282?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.