# CVE-2021-24649: WP User Frontend < 3.5.29 - Obscure Registration as Admin

> Attackers with access to encryption keys can register as admin by manipulating the hidden role argument in the WP User Frontend plugin.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Nov 2022
- **Updated:** 30 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f4mf-54pp-jfrw

## What is CVE-2021-24649?

CVE-2021-24649 is a critical vulnerability in Unknown WP User Frontend, published on 21 Nov 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The WP User Frontend WordPress plugin before 3.5.29 uses a user supplied argument called urhidden in its registration form, which contains the role for the account to be created with, encrypted via wpuf_encryption(). This could allow an attacker having access to the AUTH_KEY and AUTH_SALT constant (via an arbitrary file access issue for example, or if the blog is using the default keys) to create an account with any role they want, such as admin

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24649?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wedevs Wp User Frontend.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24649?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24649 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24649 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-24649 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown WP User Frontend

- [CVE-2021-25076](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25076/): WP User Frontend < 3.5.26 - SQL Injection to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-38693](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38693/): WordPress WP User Frontend plugin <= 4.0.7 - SQL Injection vulnerability (high 7.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24649 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24649 is a critical vulnerability in Unknown WP User Frontend, published on 21 Nov 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-24649 exists.

Affected product: Unknown WP User Frontend. 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-2021-24649/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24649/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24649
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24649
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24649

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24649/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.