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CVE Record

CVE-2021-34642: Smart Email Alerts <= 1.0.10 Reflected Cross-Site Scripting

The Smart Email Alerts WordPress plugin is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the api_key in the ~/views/settings.php file which allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts, in versions up to and including 1.0.10.

MediumCVSS 6.1Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-34642 is a reflected cross-site scripting issue in the Smart Email Alerts WordPress plugin. A targeted user could be tricked into loading malicious script through the plugin settings handling. Business risk is moderate because exploitation requires user interaction, but affected WordPress sites can expose session, content, or administrative actions to abuse.

Executive priority

Handle as a moderate-priority WordPress exposure. It is not presented as actively exploited, but XSS in a plugin can affect administrators and site integrity. Confirm plugin presence quickly, then update, disable, or remove based on vendor guidance.

Technical view

The vulnerability affects Followistic Smart Email Alerts for WordPress, versions up to and including 1.0.10. The reported sink is the api_key parameter in views/settings.php. CVSS 3.1 is 6.1: network reachable, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, changed scope, low confidentiality and integrity impact, no availability impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to WordPress installations running the Smart Email Alerts plugin at version 1.0.10 or earlier. The source bundle does not identify other affected products, fixed versions, or deployment-specific prerequisites.

Exploitation context

The CVE is not listed as CISA KEV in the provided bundle, and no cited source states active exploitation. The attack model is reflected XSS: a victim must interact with attacker-controlled content that reaches the vulnerable plugin parameter.

Researcher notes

Evidence clearly supports reflected XSS via api_key in Smart Email Alerts through version 1.0.10. The bundle does not provide a patch version, proof of exploitation, or broad product impact. Avoid assuming exploitation beyond the CVSS vector and advisory description.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory WordPress sites for Smart Email Alerts plugin usage.
  • Prioritize any installation at version 1.0.10 or earlier.
  • Check Wordfence, WordPress plugin, or vendor guidance for a fixed release.
  • Disable or remove the plugin where no safe upgrade path is available.
  • Review administrative users exposed to suspicious links or plugin settings pages.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm whether Smart Email Alerts is installed on each WordPress site.
  • Record the installed plugin version and compare against <= 1.0.10.
  • Review the Wordfence advisory and CVE record for updated remediation details.
  • Check web logs for suspicious requests involving the plugin settings view or api_key parameter.
  • Confirm no source in use claims KEV or active exploitation without evidence.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
4

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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 · medium confidence lookup

CWE-79: 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.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2021-34642 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
6.1 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
3Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
6.1CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N2.82.7Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

6.1Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2021-34642Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
FollowisticSmart Email Alerts1.0.10Listed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-79

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.