CVE-2021-21389
BuddyPress privilege escalation via REST API
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
BuddyPress privilege escalation via REST API
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.
- Record
CVE-2021-21389- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-2224
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.
- Record
EUVD-2021-2224- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-m6j4-8r7p-wpp3
BuddyPress privilege escalation via REST API
Impact
It's possible for a non-privileged, regular user to obtain administrator rights by exploiting an issue in the BuddyPress REST API members endpoint.
Patches
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.
References
https://buddypress.org/2021/03/buddypress-7-2-1-security-release/
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in HackerOne
- Record
GHSA-m6j4-8r7p-wpp3- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
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.
- Record
CVE-2021-21389- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 9.0 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
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.
- Record
CVE-2021-21389- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-m6j4-8r7p-wpp3
BuddyPress privilege escalation via REST API
Impact
It's possible for a non-privileged, regular user to obtain administrator rights by exploiting an issue in the BuddyPress REST API members endpoint.
Patches
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.
References
https://buddypress.org/2021/03/buddypress-7-2-1-security-release/
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in HackerOne
- Record
GHSA-m6j4-8r7p-wpp3- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
buddypress/buddypressPackagist |
5.0.0 up to 7.2.1 | 7.2.1 |
buddypress/buddypressPackagist |
5.0.0 up to 7.2.1, plus listed versions 5.1.05.1.0-beta15.1.15.1.25.2.0 Show 21 moreShow less5.2.15.2.26.0.06.0.0-RC16.0.0-RC26.0.0-beta16.0.0-beta26.1.06.2.06.2.0-beta16.3.06.4.06.4.26.4.37.0.07.0.0-RC17.0.0-RC27.0.0-beta17.0.0-beta27.1.07.2.0 |
7.2.1 |
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclei | BuddyPress REST API <7.2.1 - Privilege Escalation/Remote Code Execution | |
| PoC in GitHub | HoangKien1020/CVE-2021-21389 | 2021-05-31 |
| PoC in GitHub | mynameSumin/CVE-2021-21389 | 2024-12-09 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, products | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, Nuclei, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-21389 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.1) in Buddypress, published March 26, 2021. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 14.8%, the 96th percentile. Fixed in buddypress/buddypress 7.2.1.