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NVD / CVE Program· CNA GitHub_M

CVE-2025-48954: Discourse vulnerable to XSS via user-provided query parameter in oauth failure flow

MediumCVSS 6.1 · v3.1—Proof of concept No fix recorded

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 24/100)

  • A ready-made attack module is public (Nuclei); exploiting it takes no special expertise.
  • Public proof-of-concept code exists (Exploit-DB / GitHub); there is no record of exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.73% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 54.9% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. A user must open a link or visit a page. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • According to the record, no fixed version is available yet.
  • Severity is disputed: the assigning authority (CNA) scores it 8.1, NVD 6.1.

Low priority for now. Update when a fix is released; follow the vendor's advisory.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

Discourse is an open-source discussion platform. Versions prior to 3.5.0.beta6 are vulnerable to cross-site scripting when the content security policy isn't enabled when using social logins. Version 3.5.0.beta6 patches the issue. As a workaround, have the content security policy enabled.

Published
Jun 25, 2025
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.7% · 54th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

24

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
24 / 40 · 6.1 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.7%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
partial

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
6.1
CNA · GitHub_M
8.1
2.0 point gap

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

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • Proof of concept exists, no weaponized module
  • No fixed version yet

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2025-48954

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Limit the impact of XSSCheck security headers

Is your version affected? Check it

Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

We use this product, ask for help

Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
discoursediscourse

Limit the impact of XSS

This is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability. A well-configured Content-Security-Policy doesn't fix it, but greatly reduces its impact. Check your site's CSP and other security headers for free.

Check security headers

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • discourse discourse

    • < 3.5.0.beta6affected

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • discourse discoursebefore 3.5.0
  • discourse discourse3.5.0

Same product

discourse: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2021-41163RCE via malicious SNS subscription payload
    45Plan
  • CVE-2025-68662FinalDestination hostname matching allows SSRF protection bypass
    39Monitor
  • CVE-2023-47121Discourse SSRF vulnerability in Embedding
    39Monitor

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-48062Jun 9, 2025 · Discourse vulnerable to HTML injection when inviting to topic via email
    24Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-48877Jun 9, 2025 · Discourse vulnerable to auto-executing of third-party code in embedded CodePen iframe
    32Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2025-49845Jun 25, 2025 · Discourse users are able to see their own whispers even after being removed from a group that has been configured to see whispers
    25Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.

Exploit status

Proof of concept available

A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.

Evidence

  • Nuclei detection template ×1

Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.

Public exploit evidence
SourceKindDate
Nuclei detection templateNuclei template CVE-2025-48954 —

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

  • CVE-2026-55674418 days apartDiscourse: Cache poisoning/XSS via color scheme cookies
    37Monitor
  • CVE-2026-53963379 days apartDiscourse: Stored-XSS in 2FA delete confirmation modal
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2026-72730411 days apartDiscourse: Stored XSS chat-transcript username unescaped in Rich Text Editor
    34Monitor
  • CVE-2026-91122456 days apartDiscourse: Chat MessageBus delivers read-restricted messages to unauthorized users
    34Monitor
  • CVE-2026-91159476 days apartDiscourse: Stored oEmbed HTML injection via allowed iframe
    30Monitor
  • CVE-2026-55424379 days apartDiscourse: Topic featured link susceptible to stored XSS
    29Monitor

Bug bounty scope

The product’s vendor appears in a public program. Matched by name; verify the scope text in the program.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • A user must open a link or visit a page.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
low · data can be read
Integrity
low · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
none

Impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component (scope changes).

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality impact
Low
Integrity impact
Low
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-79 · Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')

CVSS vector

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

nvd-primary

Root cause

User content is inserted into the page as HTML. The browser interprets the content as code rather than data.

The bug in code

The whole CWE-79 class

A representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.

Vulnerable

ts
commentEl.innerHTML = comment.body;

Fixed

ts
commentEl.textContent = comment.body;

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

ATT&CK techniques

—

References

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records