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CVE-2021-24814 - Before 1 Plugin

CVE-2021-24814

The check_privacy_settings AJAX action of the WordPress GDPR WordPress plugin before 1.9.26, available to both unauthenticated and authenticated users, responds with JSON data without an "application/json" content-type. Since an HTML payload isn't properly escaped, it may be interpreted by a web browser led to this endpoint. Javascript code may be executed on a victim's browser. If the victim is an administrator with a valid session cookie, full control of the WordPress instance may be taken (AJAX calls and iframe manipulation are possible because the vulnerable endpoint is on the same domain as the admin panel - there is no same-origin restriction).

CVE-2021-24814

CRITICAL CVSS 9.6 Published 2022-02-01 Updated 2024-11-21
AI Risk Critical (95/100) Active Exploit: No strong signal Published Exploit: No public exploit references Priority: P1 Immediate
Severity Band CRITICAL
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Components 3
Reference Links 1
AI Risk Engine Critical (95/100)
Exploitability High
Active Exploitation No strong signal
Published Exploit Status No public exploit references

Threat Timeline

  1. 2022-02-01 CVE published and first recorded in the threat feed.
  2. 2024-11-21 Record updated with latest vulnerability metadata.
  3. 2026-04-11 AI technical context refreshed for mitigation and impact guidance.
  4. Now Monitoring for follow-up changes, linked references, and new related CVEs.

AI Context

Machine-generated threat intelligence

AI Updated 10 days ago

AI enriched 10 days ago (2026-04-11 15:07 UTC)

Technical Summary

The check_privacy_settings AJAX action of the WordPress GDPR WordPress plugin before 1.9.26, available to both unauthenticated and authenticated users, responds with JSON data without an "application/json" content-type. Since an HTML payload isn't properly escaped, it may be interpreted by a web browser led to this endpoint. Javascript code may be executed on a victim's browser. If the victim is an administrator with a valid session cookie, full control of the WordPress instance may be taken (AJAX calls and iframe manipulation…

Potential Impact

Severity is CRITICAL (CVSS 9.6). Depending on deployment context, affected components may be exposed to unauthorized actions or data integrity risk.

Exploitability Assessment

Exploitability is assessed as High based on low-bar exploit prerequisites.

Primary risk drivers: low-bar exploit prerequisites

Mitigation Recommendations

Validate affected product versions, prioritize patching, and monitor references for vendor remediation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, apply compensating controls and limit exposure of vulnerable surfaces.

Detection & Monitoring

Track authentication anomalies, unexpected file writes, and suspicious plugin API activity around affected components.

Business Impact Lens

AI risk score 95/100 (Critical, High) with priority P1 Immediate. Prioritize remediation where affected components process customer data, admin sessions, or Internet-exposed workflows.

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