Post Grid MasterWordPress extension · Addonmaster
CVE-2024-11642
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe Post Grid Master – Custom Post Types, Taxonomies & Ajax Filter Everything with Infinite Scroll, Load More, Pagination & Shortcode Builder plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 3.4.12 via the 'locate_template' function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to include and execute arbitrary files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls, obtain sensitive data, or achieve code execution in cases where images and other “safe” file types can be uploaded and included. The file included must have a .php extension.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThis is a critical Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the Post Grid Master WordPress plugin (versions up to 3.4.12). The vulnerability exists in the 'locate_template' function and allows unauthenticated attackers to include and execute arbitrary .php files from the server, leading to complete system compromise via remote code execution.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Post Grid MasterWordPress extension
<= 3.4.12CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify if Post Grid Master plugin is installedNavigate to WordPress admin > Plugins > Installed Plugins. Look for 'Post Grid Master' or 'Addonmaster Post Grid Master' in the list of active and inactive plugins.Affected if The plugin appears in the plugins list regardless of activation status.
-
Determine the installed versionIn the plugins list, click on the plugin name or look at the version number displayed under the plugin title. Alternatively, check the plugin's main PHP file (typically /wp-content/plugins/post-grid-master/ or /wp-content/plugins/addonmaster-post-grid-master/) and look for the 'Version' header in the file comments.Affected if The version number displayed is 3.4.12 or lower.
-
Check if plugin is activeIn WordPress admin > Plugins, verify whether Post Grid Master is listed as 'Active' under the plugin status.Affected if The plugin is active and the version is 3.4.12 or lower.
-
Inspect the locate_template function exposureReview the plugin source code in /wp-content/plugins/post-grid-master/ (or addonmaster variant) and locate the 'locate_template' function. Determine if it accepts user-controlled input (such as GET/POST parameters) that could be manipulated for directory traversal.Affected if The locate_template function accepts external input without sanitization and the plugin version is 3.4.12 or lower.
-
Review web server and access logs for LFI indicatorsExamine Apache/nginx access logs and WordPress debug logs for suspicious requests containing '../', '..%2F', or path traversal patterns targeting .php files, especially around the plugin's AJAX handlers or front-end endpoints.Affected if Logs contain unauthenticated requests with traversal patterns pointing to the plugin endpoints.
A user is affected if the Post Grid Master plugin (or addonmaster variant) is installed with version 3.4.12 or lower, is active, and the locate_template function accepts unsanitized user input.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedImmediately update the plugin to the latest version if available, or uninstall/remove the plugin until a patch is released. Additionally, deploy WAF rules to block directory traversal patterns in query parameters and audit access logs for indicators of compromise.
Post Grid Master version 3.4.13 or later
- 1. Update the Post Grid Master plugin to the latest available version from the WordPress plugin repository
- 2. Verify the update was successfully applied in Plugins > Installed Plugins
- 3. Confirm the installed version is greater than 3.4.12
- 4. Test that the plugin functionality continues to work correctly after the update
- 5. Ensure any custom templates or overrides are still functioning as expected
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Post Grid Master
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,832.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-11642 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-11642 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data