Group SMTP user emails are exposed in CC email header
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Information disclosure
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · None · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-359.
Summary
Discourse is an option source discussion platform. Prior to version 2.8.14 on the `stable` branch and version 2.9.0.beta15 on the `beta` and `tests-passed` branches, recipients of a group SMTP email could see the email addresses of all other users inside the group SMTP topic. Most of the time this is not an issue as they are likely already familiar with one another's email addresses. This issue is patched in versions 2.8.14 and 2.9.0.beta15. The fix is that someone sending emails out via group SMTP to non-staged users masks those emails with blind carbon copy (BCC). Staged users are ones that have likely only interacted with the group via email, and will likely include other people who were CC'd on the original email to the group. As a workaround, disable group SMTP for any groups that have it enabled.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discourse | discourse | before 2.8.14; 2.9.0.beta0 to before 2.9.0.beta15 | 2.8.14, 2.9.0.beta15 | Patch available | CNA |
- discourse Vendordiscourse Affected before 2.8.14; 2.9.0.beta0 to before 2.9.0.beta15 Fixed in 2.8.14, 2.9.0.beta15 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 15
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 2.8.14 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta1 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta10:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta10 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta11:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta11 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta12:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta12 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta13:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta13 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta14:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta14 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta2 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta3 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta4 | Vulnerable | discourse |
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 2.8.14 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta1 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta10:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta10 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta11:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta11 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta12:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta12 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta13:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta13 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta14:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta14 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta2 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta3 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta4 Vulnerable ·discourse
Show 5 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta5 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta6 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta7 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta8:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.9.0 beta8 | Vulnerable | discourse |
| cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:3.0.0:beta15:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.0.0 beta15 | Vulnerable | discourse |
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta5 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta6 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta7 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:2.9.0:beta8:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.9.0 beta8 Vulnerable ·discourse
- cpe:2.3:a:discourse:discourse:3.0.0:beta15:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.0.0 beta15 Vulnerable ·discourse
Remediation
- Fix · CNA discourse (discourse) Fixed in 2.8.14, 2.9.0.beta15
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2022-46168
References
More Discourse vulnerabilities
- TI-2021-19656 Denial of Service in discourse CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.8
- TI-2024-36150 Potential Backup file leaked via Nginx in Discourse CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2021-18002 RCE via malicious SNS subscription payload CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2026-24651 Discourse: Open redirect via `sso_destination_url` cookie in `enter` CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.1
- TI-2026-22278 Discourse leaks private topic title and post excerpt via user action API endpoint CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2023-24152 Unauthenticated access to new private chat messages in Discourse CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences