# CVE-2021-24194: Login Protection - Limit Failed Login Attempts < 2.9 - Arbitrary Plugin Installation/Activation via Low Privilege User

> Low-privilege users can install and activate arbitrary plugins via an unprotected AJAX action, potentially leading to remote code execution.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 May 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gp4g-v3hj-2rrf

## What is CVE-2021-24194?

CVE-2021-24194 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in wp-buy Login Protection – Limit Failed Login Attempts, published on 14 May 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Low privileged users can use the AJAX action 'cp_plugins_do_button_job_later_callback' in the Login Protection - Limit Failed Login Attempts WordPress plugin before 2.9, to install any plugin (including a specific version) from the WordPress repository, as well as activate arbitrary plugin from then blog, which helps attackers install vulnerable plugins and could lead to more critical vulnerabilities like RCE.

Weakness: CWE-285 (Improper Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24194?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wp-Buy Login Protection - Limit Failed Login Attempts.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24194?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24194 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24194 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24194 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24194 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24194 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in wp-buy Login Protection – Limit Failed Login Attempts, published on 14 May 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24194 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: wp-buy Login Protection – Limit Failed Login Attempts. 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-2021-24194/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24194/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24194
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24194
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24194

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24194/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.