# CVE-2026-28218: Discourse's Fail-Open Access Control in Data Explorer Plugin Allows Unauthorized SQL Query Execution

> Authenticated users can execute unauthorized SQL queries in Discourse's Data Explorer plugin due to fail-open access control, potentially exposing sensitive data.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 26 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 2 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** BIT-discourse-2026-28218, GHSA-jxrc-72mr-mfh5

## What is CVE-2026-28218?

CVE-2026-28218 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Discourse Discourse, published on 26 Feb 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-28218?

1 open source package ship an affected version, including discourse. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `discourse` | Bitnami | All versions | 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1 |

Products: Discourse Discourse.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-28218?

Upgrade discourse to a fixed version for your release line: 2025.12.2 or 2026.1.1.

## Is CVE-2026-28218 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-28218 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Discourse Discourse

- [CVE-2021-41163](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41163/): RCE via malicious SNS subscription payload (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-36066](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-36066/): Discourse vulnerable to RCE via admins uploading maliciously zipped file (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2022-39356](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-39356/): Discourse user account takeover via email and invite link (high 8.9)
- [CVE-2023-22468](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-22468/): Discourse vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting in local oneboxes (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-27934](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-27934/): Discourse leaks private topic title and post excerpt via user action API endpoint (high 8.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-28218 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-28218 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Discourse Discourse, published on 26 Feb 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-28218 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- discourse (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-28218/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-28218/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-28218
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-28218
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-28218

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-28218/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.