# CVE-2021-24179: Business Directory Plugin < 5.11 - Arbitrary File Upload to RCE

> An attacker can exploit CSRF and lack of file validation to upload malicious files, leading to remote code execution on the WordPress site.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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 May 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6c3r-rv4h-9wfr

## What is CVE-2021-24179?

CVE-2021-24179 is a high-severity vulnerability in Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing Directories for WordPress, published on 5 May 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 Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing Directories for WordPress WordPress plugin before 5.11 suffered from a Cross-Site Request Forgery issue, allowing an attacker to make a logged in administrator import files. As the plugin also did not validate uploaded files, it could lead to RCE.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24179?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Strategy11 Business Directory Plugin - Easy Listing Directories.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24179?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24179 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24179 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24179 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing Directories for WordPress

- [CVE-2021-24178](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24178/): Business Directory Plugin < 5.11.1 - Arbitrary Add/Edit/Delete Form Field to Stored XSS (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-24248](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24248/): Business Directory Plugin < 5.11.1 - Authenticated PHP4 Upload to RCE (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2021-24249](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24249/): Business Directory Plugin < 5.11.2 - Arbitrary Listing Export (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2021-24250](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24250/): Business Directory Plugin < 5.11.2 - Authenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting (medium 5.4)
- [CVE-2021-24251](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24251/): Business Directory Plugin < 5.11.2 - Arbitrary Payment History Update (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24179 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24179 is a high-severity vulnerability in Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing Directories for WordPress, published on 5 May 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-2021-24179 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing Directories for WordPress. 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-2021-24179/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24179/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24179
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24179
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24179

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24179/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.