# CVE-2021-24545: WP HTML Author Bio <= 1.2.0 - Author+ Stored Cross-Site Scripting

> Authors can inject malicious JavaScript into their bio, leading to XSS and potential privilege escalation when admins view posts.

- **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:** 11 Oct 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xv7x-q4ch-37fx

## What is CVE-2021-24545?

CVE-2021-24545 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Unknown WP HTML Author Bio, published on 11 Oct 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

The WP HTML Author Bio WordPress plugin through 1.2.0 does not sanitise the HTML allowed in the Bio of users, allowing them to use malicious JavaScript code, which will be executed when anyone visit a post in the frontend made by such user. As a result, user with a role as low as author could perform Cross-Site Scripting attacks against users, which could potentially lead to privilege escalation when an admin view the related post/s.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24545?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wp Html Author Bio Project Wp Html Author Bio.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24545?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24545 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24545 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24545 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- The plugin does not sanitise the HTML allowed in the Bio of users, allowing them to use malicious JavaScript code, which will be executed when anyone visit a post in the frontend made by such user. As a result, user with a role as low as author could perform Cross-Site Scripting attacks against users, which could potentially lead to privilege escalation when an admin view the related post/s. (github_poc): https://github.com/V35HR4J/CVE-2021-24545
- WordPress Plugin HTML Author Bio description XSS (github_poc): https://github.com/dnr6419/CVE-2021-24545

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24545 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24545 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Unknown WP HTML Author Bio, published on 11 Oct 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-2021-24545 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown WP HTML Author Bio. 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-2021-24545/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24545/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24545
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24545
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24545

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24545/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.