# CVE-2021-24378: Autoptimize < 2.7.8 - Authenticated Stored XSS via File Upload

> Authenticated attackers can inject malicious JavaScript via file upload in the Autoptimize WordPress plugin, leading to stored XSS execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Jun 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-27r4-rp49-685c

## What is CVE-2021-24378?

CVE-2021-24378 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Unknown Autoptimize, published on 21 Jun 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The Autoptimize WordPress plugin before 2.7.8 does not check for malicious files such as .html in the archive uploaded via the 'Import Settings' feature. As a result, it is possible for a high privilege user to upload a malicious file containing JavaScript code inside an archive which will execute when a victim visits index.html inside the plugin directory.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24378?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Autoptimize Autoptimize.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24378?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24378 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24378 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24378 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown Autoptimize

- [CVE-2021-24376](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24376/): Autoptimize < 2.7.8 - Arbitrary File Upload via "Import Settings" (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-24377](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24377/): Autoptimize < 2.7.8 - Race Condition leading to RCE (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2020-24948](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-24948/): File upload in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2023-2113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2113/): Autoptimize < 3.1.7 - Admin+ Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Settings Import (medium 4.8)
- [CVE-2022-2635](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2635/): Autoptimize < 3.1.1 - Admin+ Stored Cross Site Scripting (medium 4.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24378 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24378 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Unknown Autoptimize, published on 21 Jun 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24378 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown Autoptimize. 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-2021-24378/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24378/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24378
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24378
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24378

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24378/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.