# CVE-2021-24825: Custom Content Shortcode < 4.0.2 - Authenticated Arbitrary File Access / LFI

> Authenticated users can access arbitrary files and execute PHP code via Local File Inclusion in the Custom Content Shortcode plugin.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/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:** 7 Mar 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x889-v4rv-3355

## What is CVE-2021-24825?

CVE-2021-24825 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Unknown Custom Content Shortcode, published on 7 Mar 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Custom Content Shortcode WordPress plugin before 4.0.2 does not validate the data passed to its load shortcode, which could allow Contributor+ (v < 4.0.1) or Admin+ (v < 4.0.2) users to display arbitrary files from the filesystem (such as logs, .htaccess etc), as well as perform Local File Inclusion attacks as PHP files will be executed. Please note that such attack is still possible by admin+ in single site blogs by default (but won't be when either the unfiltered_html or file_edit is disallowed)

Weakness: CWE-345 (Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24825?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Custom Content Shortcode Project Custom Content Shortcode.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24825?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24825 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24825 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24825 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown Custom Content Shortcode

- [CVE-2023-0340](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0340/): Custom Content Shortcode <= 4.0.2 - Contributor+ LFI (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-0273](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0273/): Custom Content Shortcode <= 4.0.2 - Contributor+ Stored XSS (medium 5.4)
- [CVE-2021-24826](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24826/): Custom Content Shortcode < 4.0.2 - Authenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting (medium 5.4)
- [CVE-2021-24824](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24824/): Custom Content Shortcode < 4.0.1 - Unauthorised Arbitrary Post Metadata Access (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24825 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24825 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Unknown Custom Content Shortcode, published on 7 Mar 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24825 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown Custom Content Shortcode. 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-2021-24825/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24825/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24825
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24825
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24825

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24825/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.