# CVE-2021-24177: WP File Manager < 7.1 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

> Attackers can execute arbitrary scripts in victim browsers via reflected XSS in the WP File Manager plugin, potentially leading to session hijacking or site compromise.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **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:** CVE-2021-27802, GHSA-hwf5-vp84-w4x7

## What is CVE-2021-24177?

CVE-2021-24177 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Unknown File Manager, published on 5 Apr 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In the default configuration of the File Manager WordPress plugin before 7.1, a Reflected XSS can occur on the endpoint /wp-admin/admin.php?page=wp_file_manager_properties when a payload is submitted on the User-Agent parameter. The payload is then reflected back on the web application response.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24177?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Filemanagerpro File Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24177?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24177 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24177 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24177 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown File Manager

- [CVE-2020-25213](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-25213/): WordPress File Manager Plugin Remote Code Execution (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-25105](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-25105/): File Manager <= 3.0 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Upload/Download (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-8507](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8507/): File Manager Pro <= 8.3.9 - Cross-Site Request Forgery to Arbitrary File Upload (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-1538](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-1538/): File Manager <= 7.2.4 - Cross-Site Request Forgery to Local JS File Inclusion (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-6846](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6846/): File Manager Pro <= 8.3.4 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Arbitrary File Upload (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24177 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24177 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Unknown File Manager, published on 5 Apr 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24177 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown File Manager. 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-2021-24177/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24177/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24177
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24177
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24177

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24177/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.