CVE-2023-36473 : Security Advisory and Response
Discourse is vulnerable to a CSP nonce reuse issue, potentially allowing Cross-Site Scripting attacks to bypass protection. Learn about the impact, affected versions, and mitigation steps.
Discourse, an open source discussion platform, is affected by a CSP nonce reuse vulnerability that could lead to XSS attacks bypassing CSP protection. While no known XSS vectors are currently identified, this vulnerability could enable a successful XSS attack to circumvent CSP. The latest tests-passed, beta, and stable branches have been patched to address this issue.
Understanding CVE-2023-36473
This section delves into the details of the CSP nonce reuse vulnerability affecting Discourse.
What is CVE-2023-36473?
The vulnerability involves an improper neutralization of input during web page generation, particularly in the context of CSP nonce reuse.
The Impact of CVE-2023-36473
The vulnerability poses a medium severity risk with high confidentiality and integrity impacts. Attack complexity is rated as high. However, no availability impact is expected.
Technical Details of CVE-2023-36473
Here, we explore the technical aspects related to the CVE-2023-36473 vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability arises from the improper handling of CSP nonce reuse, potentially allowing XSS attacks to bypass CSP protection mechanisms.
Affected Systems and Versions
The affected product is Discourse, with specific versions such as 'stable >= 3.0.5', 'beta >= 3.1.0.beta6', and 'tests-passed >= 3.1.0.beta6'.
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker to execute XSS attacks that bypass CSP due to the nonce reuse issue.
Mitigation and Prevention
This section outlines measures to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2023-36473.
Immediate Steps to Take
Users are advised to update to the latest patched versions available for the stable, beta, and tests-passed branches of Discourse.
Long-Term Security Practices
Implementing secure coding practices and conducting regular security assessments can enhance overall system security.
Patching and Updates
Regularly applying security patches and staying informed about security advisories from Discourse can help prevent vulnerabilities.