RCE in Minimus Special Text Boxes

CVE-2024-8481

The The Special Text Boxes plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary shortcode execution in all versions up to, and including, 6.2.4. This is due to the plugin adding the filter add_filter('comment_text', 'do_shortcode'); which will run all shortcodes in comments. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary shortcodes.

Vulnerability class: RCE (Remote Code Execution)

Published · last modified .

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 7.3 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.006 (49.3th percentile), scored .

Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 49th percentile — 49.3% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS trend (30 days)EPSS over the last 30 days for CVE-2024-8481: held from 0.006 to 0.006.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.006 · newest: 0.006 · change: 0.000

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

Public proof-of-concept exploits

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-8481?
CVE-2024-8481 is a high-severity vulnerability in Minimus Special Text Boxes, classified under Code Injection. CVSS score: 7.3/10. Published 2024-09-25.
How severe is CVE-2024-8481?
High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.3 out of 10.
Is CVE-2024-8481 known to be exploited?
3 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.