# CVE-2021-38312: Missing authorization in Gutenberg Template Library & Redux Framework

> Lower-privileged users can install arbitrary plugins and modify posts due to incorrect authorization checks in the REST API.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L`)
- **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:** 2 Sep 2021
- **Updated:** 5 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jgqj-hr6f-2p53

## What is CVE-2021-38312?

CVE-2021-38312 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Redux.io Gutenberg Template Library & Redux Framework, published on 2 Sep 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Gutenberg Template Library & Redux Framework plugin <= 4.2.11 for WordPress used an incorrect authorization check in the REST API endpoints registered under the “redux/v1/templates/” REST Route in “redux-templates/classes/class-api.php”. The `permissions_callback` used in this file only checked for the `edit_posts` capability which is granted to lower-privileged users such as contributors, allowing such users to install arbitrary plugins from the WordPress repository and edit arbitrary posts.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization), CWE-280 (Improper Handling of Insufficient Permissions or Privileges)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-38312?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Redux Gutenberg Template Library \& Redux Framework.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-38312?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-38312 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-38312 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38312 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Redux.io Gutenberg Template Library & Redux Framework

- [CVE-2021-38314](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38314/): Gutenberg Template Library & Redux Framework <= 4.2.11 Sensitive Information Disclosure (medium 5.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-38312 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-38312 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Redux.io Gutenberg Template Library & Redux Framework, published on 2 Sep 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-2021-38312 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Redux.io Gutenberg Template Library & Redux Framework. 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-2021-38312/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38312/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-38312
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38312
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38312

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38312/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.