CVE-2021-21389Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Regular-user Administrator escalation via unchecked role update

Published Mar 26, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Incorrect authorization in BuddyPress 5.0.0 through 7.2.0 permits unauthorized Administrator-role assignment through the member self-update REST API. The member self-update handler accepted a request-supplied roles field without verifying account-promotion authority. Regular membership and network access to the endpoint are sufficient; exploitation grants full WordPress administrative control.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability13.52%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect authorization in BuddyPress 5.0.0 through 7.2.0 permits unauthorized Administrator-role assignment through the member self-update REST API. The member self-update handler accepted a request-supplied roles field without verifying account-promotion authority. Regular membership and network access to the endpoint are sufficient; exploitation grants full WordPress administrative control.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-21389
Published
Mar 26, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
BuddyPress
Product
BuddyPress
Classifications
CWE-863, T1098
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 26, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=>= 5.0.0, < 7.2.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

BuddyPress · BuddyPressversion=>= 5.0.0, < 7.2.1

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
T1098Account Manipulation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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