Authenticated settings changes via unchecked AJAX option write
Published Jun 7, 2023 · Updated Apr 8, 2026
Missing authorization in WP Quick FrontEnd Editor 5.5 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to change plugin settings. The save_admin_options function accepts the full HTTP request and passes it to update_option for la_front_editor without a capability check or security nonce. Any logged-in account can invoke the la_save_front_editor AJAX action and overwrite configuration that WordPress ordinarily reserves for authorized administrators.
Summary
What happened
Missing authorization in WP Quick FrontEnd Editor 5.5 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to change plugin settings. The save_admin_options function accepts the full HTTP request and passes it to update_option for la_front_editor without a capability check or security nonce. Any logged-in account can invoke the la_save_front_editor AJAX action and overwrite configuration that WordPress ordinarily reserves for authorized administrators.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-4371
- Published
- Jun 7, 2023
- Updated
- Apr 8, 2026
- Vendor
- Labib Ahmed
- Product
- WP Quick FrontEnd Editor
- Classifications
- CWE-862, T1565.001
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 7, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 8, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=0 <=5.5
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Public exploit references
- NinTechNet authenticated settings-change demonstrationproof of concept · demonstrated
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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