# CVE-2021-24173: VM Backups <= 1.0 - CSRF to Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

> Attackers can exploit missing CSRF checks to force logged-in users to update plugin options, resulting in stored XSS and potential code execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Apr 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pfj9-w34v-grhw

## What is CVE-2021-24173?

CVE-2021-24173 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Unknown VM Backups, published on 5 Apr 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The VM Backups WordPress plugin through 1.0 does not have CSRF checks, allowing attackers to make a logged in user unwanted actions, such as update the plugin's options, leading to a Stored Cross-Site Scripting issue.

Weakness: CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24173?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vm Backups Project Vm Backups.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24173?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24173 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24173 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24173 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown VM Backups

- [CVE-2021-24172](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24172/): VM Backups <= 1.0 - CSRF to Database Backup Download (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24173 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24173 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Unknown VM Backups, published on 5 Apr 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24173 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown VM Backups. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2021-24173/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24173/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24173
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24173
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24173

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24173/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.