# CVE-2024-8016: The Events Calendar Pro <= 7.0.2 - Authenticated (Administrator+) PHP Object Injection to Remote Code Execution

> Authenticated administrators can achieve remote code execution via PHP object injection in The Events Calendar Pro plugin, potentially affecting contributors if Elementor is installed.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Aug 2024
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3x3j-vpj2-43h2

## What is CVE-2024-8016?

CVE-2024-8016 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in theeventscalendar The Events Calendar Pro, published on 30 Aug 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Events Calendar Pro plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions up to, and including, 7.0.2 via deserialization of untrusted input from the 'filters' parameter in widgets. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-level access and above, to inject a PHP Object. The additional presence of a POP chain allows attackers to execute code remotely. In certain configurations, this can be exploitable by lower level users. We confirmed that this plugin installed with Elementor makes it possible for users with contributor-level access and above to exploit this issue.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-8016?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Theeventscalendar Events Calendar Pro.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-8016?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-8016 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-8016 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-8016 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-8016 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-8016 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in theeventscalendar The Events Calendar Pro, published on 30 Aug 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-8016 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: theeventscalendar The Events Calendar Pro. 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-2024-8016/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8016/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-8016
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-8016
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-8016

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8016/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.