CVE-2024-10952: Authors List <= 2.0.4 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary Shortcode Execution via update_authors_list_ajax

Severity: high (CVSS 7.3 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.6% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2024-12-04 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-94

Description

The The Authors List plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary shortcode execution via update_authors_list_ajax AJAX action in all versions up to, and including, 2.0.4. This is due to the software allowing users to execute an action that does not properly validate a value before running do_shortcode. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary shortcodes.

Affected products

wpkube Authors List: through 2.0.4

References

https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/authors-list/tags/2.0.4/backend/includes/class-authors-list-item.php#L843
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3205955/authors-list/trunk/backend/includes/class-authors-list-item.php
https://wordpress.org/plugins/authors-list/#developers
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/8b3cfe0a-dcfb-40f3-ba43-4e838c113010?source=cve

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