Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A WordPress plugin used for countdown and WooCommerce sales timers allowed a malicious site to trick a logged-in administrator into saving harmful script into plugin settings. If successful, that script could run for site users or administrators. The issue affects versions up to and including 1.5.7.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority WordPress plugin exposure. It can turn an administrator’s browser session into stored malicious content on the site. Prioritize sites that process sales, payments, or customer traffic, and avoid claiming active exploitation without fresh intelligence.
Technical view
CVE-2021-34636 is a CSRF flaw in WpDevArt Countdown and CountUp, WooCommerce Sales Timers. The save_theme function in includes/admin/coundown_theme_page.php lacked a nonce check, enabling stored XSS injection when a privileged user was induced to perform the action.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites running the WpDevArt Countdown and CountUp, WooCommerce Sales Timers plugin at version 1.5.7 or earlier. WooCommerce sites using sales timer functionality should be prioritized because the plugin may be publicly visible but managed through administrator sessions.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. The attack requires user interaction, likely a logged-in administrator visiting attacker-controlled content, and can result in stored script execution through plugin configuration.
Researcher notes
The core weakness is missing CSRF nonce validation in save_theme, leading to stored XSS. CVSS 3.1 is 8.8 with network attack vector and required user interaction. Sources identify affected versions through 1.5.7 but do not provide complete operational detection guidance.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for the affected WpDevArt plugin and version.
- Disable or remove affected versions where business impact allows.
- Check vendor or WordPress plugin guidance for a patched release before re-enabling.
- Restrict administrator browsing and harden admin session protections.
- Review plugin settings for unexpected script content.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether the plugin is installed on each WordPress site.
- Record the installed plugin version and flag 1.5.7 or earlier.
- Inspect plugin theme/settings fields for unauthorized JavaScript or HTML.
- Review administrator activity around timer theme configuration changes.
- Confirm remediation against vendor or WordPress plugin release guidance.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-352: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-34636 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.wordfence.com/vulnerability-advisories/#CVE-2021-34636CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/2605523/countdown-wpdevart-extended/trunk/includes/admin/coundown_theme_page.phpCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.