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wtf is cve-2021-24499?

jayhutajulu1/cve-2021-24499 — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-08-08 · repo last pushed 2026-01-28

ShellAudience · ops devopsComplexity · 2/5QuietSetup · easy

TL;DR

A command-line shell script that automates a proof-of-concept exploit for a serious WordPress theme vulnerability, letting security researchers test if sites allow unauthenticated file uploads leading to remote code execution.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Tests WordPress sites
      Uploads webshell via curl
      Scans single or bulk URLs
    How it works
      Bash shell script
      Uses curl for requests
      Reports vulnerable or not
    Use cases
      Security research
      Penetration testing
      Check own sites
    Audience
      Security researchers
      Penetration testers
      Site administrators
    Notes
      Educational use only
      Requires authorization
      Lightweight no dependencies

Code map

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filefunction / class

Why would anyone build with this?

REASON 1

Test your own WordPress sites to see if they run the vulnerable Workreap theme.

REASON 2

Run a bulk scan across a list of URLs to identify which sites are exposed.

REASON 3

Study the exploit script to understand how unauthenticated file upload vulnerabilities work.

What's in the stack?

ShellBashcurlPHP

How it stacks up

jayhutajulu1/cve-2021-244990xdevalias/docker-upx123satyajeet123/bitnet-server
Stars0
LanguageShellShellShell
Last pushed2026-01-282017-11-28
MaintenanceQuietDormant
Setup difficultyeasyeasyeasy
Complexity2/52/52/5
Audienceops devopsdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you spin it up?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Requires curl installed on Linux, macOS, or WSL, plus a PHP webshell file you supply yourself.

No license information is provided in the repository, meaning default copyright restrictions apply and the code is not formally licensed for reuse.

Wtf does this do

This repository contains a proof-of-concept exploit tool for a known security vulnerability (CVE-2021-24499) in a WordPress theme called Workreap. The theme is used to build freelance marketplace websites, and versions 2.2.2 and below have a critical flaw: they allow anyone, even someone with no account or login, to upload files to the site. That alone is bad, but the real danger is that an attacker can upload a PHP script (a "webshell"), which then lets them run commands on the server remotely. This is called Remote Code Execution, and it's about as serious as a vulnerability gets. The tool is a Bash shell script that automates the attack. You run it from a command line on Linux, macOS, or Windows Subsystem for Linux, and it uses curl (a common tool for making web requests) to send a crafted upload request to a target site. If the site is running the vulnerable theme and hasn't patched it, the script uploads a PHP webshell, a file that lets the attacker send commands to the server through the browser. You can point it at a single URL or feed it a list of many URLs at once for what the README calls "mass exploitation." The people who would use this are security researchers, penetration testers, or administrators checking whether their own sites are vulnerable. For example, if you manage several WordPress sites and want to confirm whether any are still running the old Workreap theme, you could run this against a list of your own URLs to see which ones are exposed. The script reports each site as either "VULNERABLE" or "NOT VULNERABLE" and, for vulnerable sites, prints the path where the uploaded shell landed. The README includes a disclaimer that the tool is for educational and authorized testing only, and that users are responsible for ensuring they have permission before testing any system. That's worth taking seriously, running this against a site you don't own or have written authorization to test would be illegal in most jurisdictions. One thing worth noting: the project is straightforward and lightweight. It's just a shell script plus a PHP file you supply, with no complex dependencies or frameworks. That simplicity makes it easy to study for someone learning how this specific vulnerability works, but it also means the tool does exactly one thing and doesn't dress it up.

Yoink these prompts

Prompt 1
Using the cve-2021-24499 Workreap exploit script, how do I run it against a single target URL to check if my WordPress site is vulnerable?
Prompt 2
How do I feed a list of multiple URLs to the CVE-2021-24499 mass exploitation script, and where does it report the uploaded webshell path?
Prompt 3
Walk me through the curl request this script sends so I can understand how the unauthenticated file upload vulnerability in Workreap theme versions 2.2.2 and below actually works.

Frequently asked questions

wtf is cve-2021-24499?

A command-line shell script that automates a proof-of-concept exploit for a serious WordPress theme vulnerability, letting security researchers test if sites allow unauthenticated file uploads leading to remote code execution.

What language is cve-2021-24499 written in?

Mainly Shell. The stack also includes Shell, Bash, curl.

Is cve-2021-24499 actively maintained?

Quiet — no commits in 6-12 months (last push 2026-01-28).

What license does cve-2021-24499 use?

No license information is provided in the repository, meaning default copyright restrictions apply and the code is not formally licensed for reuse.

How hard is cve-2021-24499 to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is cve-2021-24499 for?

Mainly ops devops.

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