Cyber Resilience

CVE-2021-24307

RCE in Aioseo All In One Seo ≤ 4.1.0.2

Public PoCHigh EPSSRCEDeserialization
Published
24 May 2021
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.53 99th percentile
Risk Priority 80 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2021-24307 is a high-severity Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) vulnerability in Aioseo All In One Seo. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 1% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

The All in One SEO – Best WordPress SEO Plugin – Easily Improve Your SEO Rankings before 4.1.0.2 enables authenticated users with "aioseo_tools_settings" privilege (most of the time admin) to execute arbitrary code on the underlying host. Users can restore…

more

plugin's configuration by uploading a backup .ini file in the section "Tool > Import/Export". However, the plugin attempts to unserialize values of the .ini file. Moreover, the plugin embeds Monolog library which can be used to craft a gadget chain and thus trigger system command execution.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

Likely ATT&CK TechniquesAI

Techniques this vulnerability likely enables, inferred from its description, weakness type, and attributed-actor tradecraft. Confidence is per-technique.

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Accessconfidence: HIGH
Authenticated users with aioseo_tools_settings privilege can upload a malicious .ini backup file that triggers unsafe unserialize leading to RCE on the WordPress host.
T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter Executionconfidence: MEDIUM
The Monolog gadget chain enables arbitrary system command execution via the unsafe unserialize path.
inferred from description + CWE · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-0586Same product: Aioseo All In One Seo
CVE-2023-0585Same product: Aioseo All In One Seo
CVE-2025-2892Same product: Aioseo All In One Seo
CVE-2024-3368Same product: Aioseo All In One Seo
CVE-2024-3554Same product: Aioseo All In One Seo
CVE-2024-23513Same product class: WordPress / CMS plugin
CVE-2024-5871Same product class: WordPress / CMS plugin
CVE-2023-37390Same product class: WordPress / CMS plugin
CVE-2024-8922Same product class: WordPress / CMS plugin
CVE-2024-32603Same product class: WordPress / CMS plugin

Affected Assets

aioseo
all in one seo
≤ 4.1.0.2

Mitigating Controls

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-502

Penetration testing supplies malicious serialized objects, detecting unsafe deserialization and supporting corrective actions.

addresses: CWE-502

Evaluation of untrusted data handling (deserialization testing) reveals unsafe processing, which the required remediation process addresses.

addresses: CWE-502

Untrusted serialized data can be deserialized and observed inside the chamber, blocking gadget-chain exploitation outside the sandbox.

addresses: CWE-502

Validates or rejects untrusted serialized data before deserialization occurs.

addresses: CWE-502

Identifies and blocks malicious code introduced through deserialization of untrusted data at system boundaries.

addresses: CWE-502

Integrity verification of serialized information can detect tampering before deserialization occurs.

addresses: CWE-502

Provenance of associated data allows detection of untrusted sources before deserialization or processing occurs.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-02 none match
prevents

PR.PS-02 addresses only post-deployment updates/patching and cannot prevent introduction of unsafe deserialization code, yet it can remediate some instances when the flaw exists in outdated libraries or components.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

detects

Security testing includes validation of deserialization routines and the use of untrusted data, reducing the likelihood that unsafe object reconstruction will be deployed.

prevents

Requiring vetted libraries, regular updates and SAST before release reduces the likelihood that deserialization logic will accept and act on attacker-controlled serialized objects.

detects

Regular scanning of third-party libraries and timely patching reduce the likelihood that unsafe deserialization vulnerabilities remain active.

none

Mandatory malware scanning of data received over networks or storage media intercepts malicious serialized payloads before they are deserialized by the target application.

References