CVE-2026-26265: Discourse has IDOR vulnerability in the directory items endpoint
Discourse is an open source discussion platform. Prior to versions 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0, an IDOR vulnerability in the directory items endpoint allows any user, including anonymous users, to retrieve private user field values for all users in the directory. The userfieldids parameter in DirectoryItemsController#index accepts arbitrary user field IDs without authorization checks, bypassing the visibility restrictions (showonprofile / showonusercard) that are enforced elsewhere (e.g., UserCardSerializer via Guardian#alloweduserfieldids). An attacker can request GET /directoryitems.json?period=all&userfieldids=<id> with any private field ID and receive that field's value for every user in the directory response. This enables bulk exfiltration of private user data such as phone numbers, addresses, or other sensitive custom fields that admins have explicitly configured as non-public. The issue is patched in versions 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 by filtering userfieldids against UserField.publicfields for non-staff users before building the custom field map. As a workaround, site administrators can remove sensitive data from private user fields, or disable the user directory via the enableuserdirectory site setting.
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-26265?
CVE-2026-26265 is classified as a high severity vulnerability due to its impact on user privacy.
How do I fix CVE-2026-26265?
To mitigate CVE-2026-26265, upgrade Discourse to version 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, or 2026.2.0.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-26265?
CVE-2026-26265 is an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) vulnerability.
Who is affected by CVE-2026-26265?
Any user of Discourse versions prior to 2025.12.2, 2026.1.1, and 2026.2.0 is affected by CVE-2026-26265.
What can attackers do with CVE-2026-26265?
Attackers can exploit CVE-2026-26265 to retrieve private user field values for all users, including anonymous users.