# CVE-2021-4380: Pinterest Automatic - Authentication Bypass

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2021-4380 by the CrowdSec Live Exploit Tracker, built from real-world attack data crowdsourced from CrowdSec's global network.

Page: https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2021-4380

## Key facts

- **Exploitation phase:** Limited Exploitation. The vulnerability is known but shows very limited attacker interest or exploitation activity.
- **CVSS score:** 9.8
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** ValvePress Pinterest Automatic
- **Tags:** wordpress

## Description

The Pinterest Automatic plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass due to missing capability checks on the 'wp_pinterest_automatic_parse_request' function and the 'process_form.php' script in versions up to, and including, 1.14.3. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to update arbitrary options on a site that can be used to create new administrative user accounts or redirect unsuspecting site visitors.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2021-4380](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2021-4380) is a critical authorization bypass vulnerability in the Pinterest Automatic plugin for WordPress, affecting versions up to 1.14.3. This flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to update arbitrary site options, potentially leading to the creation of new administrative accounts or malicious redirection of site visitors. Exploitation of this vulnerability could result in full site compromise and significant security risks for affected WordPress installations.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 15th of October 2025.

CrowdSec has not observed any significant exploitation activity targeting CVE-2021-4380 across its network. As a result, no community-driven trend analysis is available for this vulnerability at this time.

Attackers exploit the endpoint `/?wp_pinterest_automatic=settings` to perform unauthorized POST requests, allowing them to update arbitrary WordPress site options without authentication.

## Timeline

- 2023-06-07: CVE Published. CVE-2021-4380 is published to NVD.
- 2025-10-15: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2021-4380 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.
- 2025-10-31: CrowdSec First Seen. CrowdSec observes in-the-wild exploitation of CVE-2021-4380 for the first time.

## References

- https://www.acunetix.com/vulnerabilities/web/wordpress-plugin-pinterest-automatic-pin-security-bypass-4-14-3/
- https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/ffd344fd-de2c-4f27-8932-41aa0a3c3d05
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2021/CVE-2021-4380.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2021-4380) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2021-4380. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.