📄 Description (English)
Discourse is an open source discussion platform. Prior to versions 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0, fail-open access control in Data Explorer plugin allows any authenticated user to execute SQL queries that have no explicit group assignments, including built-in system queries. Versions 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 patch the issue. As a workaround, either explicitly set group permissions on each Data Explorer query that doesn't have permissions, or disable discourse-data-explorer plugin.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
Discourse Data Explorer plugin contains a fail-open access control vulnerability (CVE-2026-28218) allowing authenticated users to execute SQL queries without proper group permission validation. This affects versions prior to 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0, enabling unauthorized data access and potential information disclosure. While CVSS is moderate (5.4), the vulnerability poses significant risk in Saudi organizations using Discourse for internal communications, particularly in government and financial sectors where sensitive discussions occur.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 27, 2026 22:03
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi government agencies (NCA, MOCI, MODA) using Discourse for inter-departmental communications face risk of unauthorized access to sensitive policy discussions and classified information. Banking sector (SAMA-regulated institutions, major banks) could experience exposure of internal compliance discussions and financial strategy data. Healthcare organizations (MOH, private hospitals) may have patient-related discussions compromised. Telecommunications sector (STC, Mobily) could face exposure of network infrastructure discussions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for organizations with multi-level access controls where authenticated users should have restricted query capabilities.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government
Banking
Healthcare
Telecommunications
Energy
Education
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
6.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all Discourse instances running Data Explorer plugin in your organization
2. Check current version against vulnerable versions (pre-2025.12.2, pre-2026.1.1, pre-2026.2.0)
3. Restrict access to Data Explorer plugin to administrative users only via role-based access controls
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Upgrade to patched versions: 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, or 2026.2.0 immediately
2. Test patches in staging environment before production deployment
3. Verify group permissions are properly enforced post-upgrade
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if immediate patching not possible):
1. Disable discourse-data-explorer plugin entirely until patched
2. Explicitly assign group permissions to ALL Data Explorer queries, including built-in system queries
3. Implement database-level query logging and monitoring for SQL execution
4. Restrict authenticated user base to trusted personnel only
5. Monitor audit logs for unauthorized query execution attempts
DETECTION RULES:
1. Alert on any SQL query execution from non-administrative users via Data Explorer
2. Monitor for queries accessing sensitive tables (users, groups, private messages)
3. Track failed permission checks in Discourse logs
4. Implement WAF rules to detect suspicious Data Explorer API calls
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. حدد جميع مثيلات Discourse التي تقوم بتشغيل إضافة Data Explorer في مؤسستك
2. تحقق من الإصدار الحالي مقابل الإصدارات المعرضة للخطر (قبل 2025.12.2 و 2026.1.1 و 2026.2.0)
3. قيد الوصول إلى إضافة Data Explorer على المستخدمين الإداريين فقط عبر عناصر التحكم في الوصول القائمة على الأدوار
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. قم بالترقية إلى الإصدارات المصححة: 2025.12.2 أو 2026.1.1 أو 2026.2.0 فوراً
2. اختبر التصحيحات في بيئة التجريب قبل نشر الإنتاج
3. تحقق من فرض أذونات المجموعة بشكل صحيح بعد الترقية
عناصر التحكم البديلة (إذا لم يكن التصحيح الفوري ممكناً):
1. عطل إضافة discourse-data-explorer بالكامل حتى يتم تصحيحها
2. قم بتعيين أذونات المجموعة بشكل صريح لجميع استعلامات Data Explorer، بما في ذلك استعلامات النظام المدمجة
3. تنفيذ تسجيل المراقبة على مستوى قاعدة البيانات وتتبع تنفيذ SQL
4. قيد قاعدة المستخدمين المصرحين للموظفين الموثوقين فقط
5. راقب سجلات التدقيق للكشف عن محاولات تنفيذ الاستعلامات غير المصرح بها
قواعد الكشف:
1. تنبيه عند تنفيذ أي استعلام SQL من مستخدمين غير إداريين عبر Data Explorer
2. مراقبة الاستعلامات التي تصل إلى الجداول الحساسة (المستخدمون والمجموعات والرسائل الخاصة)
3. تتبع فحوصات الأذونات الفاشلة في سجلات Discourse
4. تنفيذ قواعد WAF للكشف عن استدعاءات API غير المشبوهة في Data Explorer
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.9.1.1 - Access control policy and procedures
ECC 2024 A.9.2.1 - User registration and access rights management
ECC 2024 A.9.4.3 - Password management system
ECC 2024 A.14.2.1 - Secure development policy
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.AC-1 - Access Control Policy
SAMA CSF PR.AC-1 - Identities and credentials are managed for authorized devices and users
SAMA CSF PR.AC-3 - Access to physical and logical assets and associated facilities is managed
SAMA CSF DE.AE-1 - A baseline of network operations and expected data flows for users and systems is established and managed
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.3 - Segregation of duties
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.2 - User access management
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.3 - User responsibilities
ISO 27001:2022 A.9.2 - User access provisioning
ISO 27001:2022 A.9.4 - Access rights review
📦 Affected Products / CPE 3 entries
discourse:discourse
discourse:discourse
discourse:discourse:2026.2.0