# CVE-2021-24788: Batch Cat <= 0.3 - Subscriber+ Arbitrary Categories Add/Set/Delete to Posts

> Authenticated subscribers can arbitrarily add, set, or delete categories on posts due to missing authorization checks in the Batch Cat WordPress plugin.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **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:** 8 Nov 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g5wv-3834-5hw2

## What is CVE-2021-24788?

CVE-2021-24788 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown Batch Cat, published on 8 Nov 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Batch Cat WordPress plugin through 0.3 defines 3 custom AJAX actions, which both require authentication but are available for all roles. As a result, any authenticated user (including simple subscribers) can add/set/delete arbitrary categories to posts.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24788?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Batch Cat Project Batch Cat.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24788?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24788 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24788 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24788 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24788 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24788 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown Batch Cat, published on 8 Nov 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-2021-24788 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown Batch Cat. 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-2021-24788/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24788/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24788
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24788
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24788

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24788/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.