How severe is CVE-2021-24565?

CVE-2021-24565 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-24565 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (49th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-24565?

CVE-2021-24565 affects Contact Form 7 Captcha Project Contact Form 7 Captcha. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-24565?

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-2021-24565 published?

CVE-2021-24565 was published on 2021-08-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-24565

CVE-2021-24565 is a high-severity vulnerability in Contact Form 7 Captcha Project Contact Form 7 Captcha with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-79.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (49th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-79
Affected product: Contact Form 7 Captcha Project Contact Form 7 Captcha
Published: 2021-08-23
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The Contact Form 7 Captcha WordPress plugin before 0.0.9 does not have any CSRF check in place when saving its settings, allowing attacker to make a logged in user with the manage_options change them. Furthermore, the settings are not escaped when output in attributes, leading to a Stored Cross-Site Scripting issue.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-24565?: The Contact Form 7 Captcha WordPress plugin before 0.0.9 does not have any CSRF check in place when saving its settings, allowing attacker to make a logged in user with the manage_options change them. Furthermore, the settings are not escaped when output in attributes, leading to a Stored Cross-Site Scripting issue.
How severe is CVE-2021-24565?: CVE-2021-24565 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-24565 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (49th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-24565?: CVE-2021-24565 affects Contact Form 7 Captcha Project Contact Form 7 Captcha. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-24565?: 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-2021-24565 published?: CVE-2021-24565 was published on 2021-08-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:contact_form_7_captcha_project:contact_form_7_captcha:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*

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