high CVSS 7.5

CVE-2024-13408·PHP vulnerability

The Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate – with Shortcode, Gutenberg Block & Elementor Widget plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 1.6.10 via the 'theme' attribute of the `pgcu` shortcode. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, 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 php files can be uploaded and included.

Severity
high
Software
PHP
Fixed in
1.7
Published
2025-01-24

Affected versions

Until: 1.7

Fixed in: 1.7

How to fix this CVE

WordPress site administrators using the Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate plugin must upgrade to version 1.7 or later to patch a local file inclusion vulnerability in the pgcu shortcode. The vulnerability allows authenticated users with Contributor-level access to reference and execute arbitrary PHP files on the server by manipulating the 'theme' attribute. Immediate upgrade is critical if your site permits user-generated content uploads or has multiple editor-level accounts.

sudo dnf update php

Defensia detects this vulnerability

What an exploitation attempt looks like

Sample log line indicative of exploitation attempts:

POST/GET request containing pgcu shortcode with theme parameter using path traversal sequences (e.g., `[pgcu theme="../../../../etc/passwd"]` or `theme="/var/www/html/uploads/shell.php"`)

WAF mitigation (if patching is not yet possible)

Add this rule to your WAF to block exploitation attempts while you schedule the patch. 

Block or filter HTTP requests containing the pgcu shortcode with theme attribute values that include directory traversal patterns (../, ..\), absolute paths (/), or references to sensitive system directories. Implement a WAF rule to whitelist only expected theme names and reject values containing file path separators.

How to check if you are affected

  1. Step 1: Verify PHP version with `php -v` and confirm it is up to date.
  2. Step 2: If using WordPress, navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins and check the Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate plugin version (must be 1.7 or higher).
  3. Step 3: Search WordPress plugin audit logs or database for use of the `pgcu` shortcode with suspicious 'theme' parameter values pointing to unexpected file paths (e.g., `../`, absolute paths, or system directories).
  4. Step 4: After upgrading the plugin to version 1.7, verify the fix by reviewing the plugin's shortcode.php file to confirm the theme attribute is properly sanitized and validated against a whitelist.

FAQ

What is CVE-2024-13408?

CVE-2024-13408 is a local file inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate WordPress plugin that permits authenticated users to load and execute arbitrary PHP files by abusing the 'theme' parameter in the pgcu shortcode, potentially leading to unauthorized code execution.

Is CVE-2024-13408 being actively exploited?

No, CVE-2024-13408 is not currently listed as actively exploited in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and no public exploits are widely available.

What versions of the Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate plugin are affected by CVE-2024-13408?

All versions up to and including 1.6.10 are vulnerable; version 1.7 and later contain the fix.

How do I check if my WordPress site is vulnerable to CVE-2024-13408?

Log in to your WordPress admin panel, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins, and locate 'Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate'. If the version is 1.6.10 or lower, your site is vulnerable and requires immediate upgrade to 1.7 or higher.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-13408?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If the Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate plugin or PHP is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2024-13408 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

Related PHP CVEs

CVE-2025-62521CVSS 10ChurchCRM is an open-source church management system. Prior to version 5.21.0, a pre-authentication remote code execution vulnerability in ChurchCRM's setup wizard allows unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary PHP code during the initial installation process, leading to complete server compromise. The vulnerability exists in `setup/routes/setup.php` where user input from the setup form is directly concatenated into a PHP configuration template without any validation or sanitization. Any parameter in the setup form can be used to inject PHP code that gets written to `Include/Config.php`, which is then executed on every page load. This is more severe than typical authenticated RCE vulnerabilities because it requires no credentials and affects the installation process that administrators must complete. Version 5.21.0 patches the issue.
CVE-2026-28289CVSS 10FreeScout is a free help desk and shared inbox built with PHP's Laravel framework. A patch bypass vulnerability for CVE-2026-27636 in FreeScout 1.8.206 and earlier allows any authenticated user with file upload permissions to achieve Remote Code Execution (RCE) on the server by uploading a malicious .htaccess file using a zero-width space character prefix to bypass the security check. The vulnerability exists in the sanitizeUploadedFileName() function in app/Http/Helper.php. The function contains a Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) flaw where the dot-prefix check occurs before sanitization removes invisible characters. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.8.207.
CVE-2025-25174CVSS 10Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in beeteam368 BeeTeam368 Extensions beeteam368-extensions allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects BeeTeam368 Extensions: from n/a through <= 1.9.4.
CVE-2024-5932CVSS 10The GiveWP – Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions up to, and including, 3.14.1 via deserialization of untrusted input from the 'give_title' parameter. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject a PHP Object. The additional presence of a POP chain allows attackers to execute code remotely, and to delete arbitrary files.
CVE-2025-46348CVSS 10YesWiki is a wiki system written in PHP. Prior to version 4.5.4, the request to commence a site backup can be performed and downloaded without authentication. The archives are created with a predictable filename, so a malicious user could create and download an archive without being authenticated. This could result in a malicious attacker making numerous requests to create archives and fill up the file system, or by downloading the archive which contains sensitive site information. This issue has been patched in version 4.5.4.

References

Track CVEs across your fleet automatically

Defensia scans your Linux servers and tells you exactly which ones are running vulnerable versions — including CVE-2024-13408. Free for 1 server.

Get started free