# CVE-2021-24962: WordPress File Upload < 4.16.3 - Contributor+ Path Traversal to RCE

> Contributors can exploit path traversal to upload malicious PHP files, leading to arbitrary code execution on the WordPress site.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 28 Mar 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x2qc-gfcm-c5m4

## What is CVE-2021-24962?

CVE-2021-24962 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Unknown WordPress File Upload, published on 28 Mar 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The WordPress File Upload Free and Pro WordPress plugins before 4.16.3 allow users with a role as low as Contributor to perform path traversal via a shortcode argument, which can then be used to upload a PHP code disguised as an image inside the auto-loaded directory of the plugin, resulting in arbitrary code execution.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-24962?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Iptanus Wordpress File Upload, Iptanus Wordpress File Upload Pro.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-24962?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-24962 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-24962 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-24962 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown WordPress File Upload

- [CVE-2024-11613](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-11613/): Code injection in Iptanus File Upload (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-11635](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-11635/): WordPress File Upload <= 4.24.12 - Unuathenticated Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-9047](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9047/): The WordPress File Upload plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Path Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 4.24.11 via wfu_file_downloader.php. (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-10564](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10564/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-9939](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9939/): WordPress File Upload <= 4.24.13 - Unauthenticated Path Traversal to Arbitrary File Read in wfu_file_downloader.php (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-24962 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-24962 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Unknown WordPress File Upload, published on 28 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-2021-24962 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown WordPress File Upload. 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-2021-24962/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24962/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24962
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24962
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24962

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24962/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.