How severe is CVE-2021-21389?

CVE-2021-21389 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2021-21389 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 14% (96th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-21389?

CVE-2021-21389 affects Buddypress. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-21389?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-21389 published?

CVE-2021-21389 was published on 2021-03-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-21389

CVE-2021-21389 is a high-severity vulnerability in Buddypress with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 14% places it in the 96th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-863.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.1)
CVSS v2: 9.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 14% (96th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-863
Affected product: Buddypress
Published: 2021-03-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

BuddyPress is an open source WordPress plugin to build a community site. In releases of BuddyPress from 5.0.0 before 7.2.1 it's possible for a non-privileged, regular user to obtain administrator rights by exploiting an issue in the REST API members endpoint. The vulnerability has been fixed in BuddyPress 7.2.1. Existing installations of the plugin should be updated to this version to mitigate the issue.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-21389?: BuddyPress is an open source WordPress plugin to build a community site. In releases of BuddyPress from 5.0.0 before 7.2.1 it's possible for a non-privileged, regular user to obtain administrator rights by exploiting an issue in the REST API members endpoint. The vulnerability has been fixed in BuddyPress 7.2.1. Existing installations of the plugin should be updated to this version to mitigate the issue.
How severe is CVE-2021-21389?: CVE-2021-21389 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2021-21389 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 14% (96th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-21389?: CVE-2021-21389 affects Buddypress. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-21389?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-21389 published?: CVE-2021-21389 was published on 2021-03-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:buddypress:buddypress:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Buddypress

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Other CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization) vulnerabilities

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