CVE-2021-24342: The JNews WordPress theme before 8.0.6 did not sanitise the cat_id parameter in the POST request /?ajax-reques

Q: How do I fix CVE-2021-24342?

jnews: upgrade to 8.0.6. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2021-24342 being exploited?

CVE-2021-24342 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2021-24342 affect?

CVE-2021-24342 affects jnews. Severity is medium (CVSS 6.1). The JNews WordPress theme before 8.0.6 did not sanitise the cat_id parameter in the POST request /?ajax-request=jnews (with action=jnews_build_mega_category_*), leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issue.

Q: How urgent is CVE-2021-24342?

Priority 46/100. Public exploit reference

This month

MEDIUM 6.1UPGRADE

CVE-2021-24342 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.1) affecting jnews. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

The JNews WordPress theme before 8.0.6 did not sanitise the cat_id parameter in the POST request /?ajax-request=jnews (with action=jnews_build_mega_category_*), leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issue.

Why this priority

Public exploit reference

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	6.1 (Medium)
Attack vector	Network (remote)
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	None
User interaction	Required
EPSS exploit chance	2.0% (top 20%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-79
Published	2021-06-07
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): WPScan · Vendor: jnews

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2021-06-07 11:15 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 03:39 UTCUpdated Record last modified

jnews jnews UPGRADE

Affected: < 8.0.6

Fixed in: 8.0.6

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy jnews || rpm -q jnews || jnews --version

2. UPGRADE to 8.0.6 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade jnews

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade jnews

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Public exploits and detection

Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.

Nuclei scan template: WordPress JNews Theme <8.0.6 - Cross-Site Scripting

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2021-24342?

jnews: upgrade to 8.0.6. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2021-24342 being exploited?

CVE-2021-24342 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2021-24342 affect?

CVE-2021-24342 affects jnews. Severity is medium (CVSS 6.1). The JNews WordPress theme before 8.0.6 did not sanitise the cat_id parameter in the POST request /?ajax-request=jnews (with action=jnews_build_mega_category_*), leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issue.

How urgent is CVE-2021-24342?

Priority 46/100. Public exploit reference

Software pages

WordPress vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2015-7343 MEDIUM 4.8 DOWNGRADE JNews Joomla Component before 8.5.0 has XSS via the mailingsearch parameter.
CVE-2015-7342 HIGH 7.2 UPGRADE JNews Joomla Component before 8.5.0 allows SQL injection via upload thumbnail, Queue Search Field, Subscribers
CVE-2015-7341 HIGH 8.8 UPGRADE JNews Joomla Component before 8.5.0 allows arbitrary File Upload via Subscribers or Templates, as demonstrated

References

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