Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This vulnerability affects a WordPress security plugin and can let an unauthenticated internet user read files that should not be public. The business concern is exposure of configuration secrets, credentials, or other sensitive server files from a public website running the affected plugin version.
Executive priority
Treat this as urgent for any public WordPress site using the affected plugin. File-read vulnerabilities can expose credentials and enable follow-on compromise even without code execution.
Technical view
CVE-2021-47977 is a CWE-22 directory traversal issue in Anti-Malware Security and Bruteforce Firewall 4.20.59. The bundle states unauthenticated attackers can manipulate a file parameter through the duplicator_download action in admin-ajax.php to read arbitrary files outside the intended directory.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on internet-facing WordPress sites using Gotmls Anti-Malware Security and Bruteforce Firewall version 4.20.59. The source bundle does not prove impact for other versions, despite the affected entry listing version "0".
Exploitation context
The CVE is not listed as KEV in the provided bundle. A public ExploitDB reference exists, so exploit knowledge is public, but the sources provided do not establish active exploitation in the wild.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports unauthenticated arbitrary file read via directory traversal in plugin version 4.20.59. Patch status is not provided in the bundle. Do not assume broader version impact or active exploitation without additional vendor or threat-intelligence confirmation.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for the Gotmls plugin and installed version.
- Check Gotmls and VulnCheck guidance for a fixed release or official workaround.
- Prioritize public sites running version 4.20.59 for remediation.
- Disable or remove the plugin if no vendor fix is available and risk is unacceptable.
- Monitor web logs for suspicious admin-ajax.php access involving the affected action.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether Anti-Malware Security and Bruteforce Firewall 4.20.59 is installed.
- Review web logs for admin-ajax.php requests referencing duplicator_download.
- Look for traversal indicators without replaying exploit attempts.
- Assess whether sensitive configuration files may have been accessed.
- Track CVE, vendor, and VulnCheck updates for patch clarification.
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-22: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. 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 lookupFile access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-47977 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
- 8.7 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
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.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe 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:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N3.93.6VulnCheckVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
8.7HighVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- ExploitDB-50107CVE reference, VulnCheck · exploit
- Official Product HomepageCVE reference, VulnCheck · product
- Product ReferenceCVE reference, VulnCheck · product
- VulnCheck Advisory: WordPress Anti-Malware Security Bruteforce Firewall 4.20.59 Directory TraversalCVE reference, VulnCheck · third-party-advisory
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.