# CVE-2021-24356: Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks - 2.0.0 – 2.0.3 - Arbitrary Plugin Activation

> Authenticated users can activate arbitrary plugins due to missing capability checks, potentially leading to privilege escalation or site compromise.

- **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 Jun 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x8rw-vx6w-9xw8

## What is CVE-2021-24356?

CVE-2021-24356 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks, published on 14 Jun 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks WordPress plugin before 2.0.4, a lack of capability checks and insufficient nonce check on the AJAX action, simple301redirects/admin/activate_plugin, made it possible for authenticated users to activate arbitrary plugins installed on vulnerable sites.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24356?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wpdeveloper Simple 301 Redirects.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24356?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24356 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24356 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24356 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks - 2.0.0 – 2.0.3 - Subscriber + Arbitrary Plugin Installation (github_poc): https://github.com/RandomRobbieBF/CVE-2021-24356

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks

- [CVE-2021-24352](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24352/): Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks - 2.0.0 – 2.0.3 - Unauthenticated Redirect Export (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-24353](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24353/): Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks - 2.0.0 – 2.0.3 - Unauthenticated Redirect Import (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-24354](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24354/): Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks - 2.0.0-2.0.3 - Arbitrary Plugin Installation (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-24355](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24355/): Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks - 2.0.0 – 2.0.3 - Update and Retrieve Wildcard Value (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24356 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24356 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks, published on 14 Jun 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-2021-24356 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks. 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-2021-24356/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24356/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24356
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24356
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24356

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24356/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.