CVE-2022-4703 in Royal Elementor Addons Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/10/2023
The Royal Elementor Addons plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to insufficient access control in the 'wpr_reset_previous_import' AJAX action in versions up to, and including, 1.3.59. This allows any authenticated user, including those with subscriber-level permissions, to reset previously imported data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2026
The Royal Elementor Addons plugin for WordPress presents a critical access control vulnerability through its wpr_reset_previous_import AJAX action, affecting versions up to and including 1.3.59. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that undermines the principle of least privilege and proper authentication mechanisms within the WordPress ecosystem. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's administrative interface where it fails to properly validate user permissions before executing sensitive data reset operations. Attackers with minimal privileges can exploit this weakness to manipulate content and data structures that should only be accessible to administrators or users with elevated permissions.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-284 access control weakness category, specifically addressing insufficient access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to perform privileged operations. The flaw enables authenticated users with subscriber-level permissions to execute administrative functions that should be restricted to users with higher privileges. The technical implementation of the AJAX endpoint lacks proper capability checks and user role validation, creating an attack surface that directly violates WordPress security best practices. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as it can be leveraged to disrupt content management workflows and potentially cause data loss for legitimate users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for WordPress sites utilizing the affected plugin, as it allows attackers to reset previously imported data without proper authorization. This capability can be exploited to remove important content, undo customizations, or disrupt website functionality in ways that may require significant recovery efforts. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require advanced technical skills or specialized tools, making it particularly dangerous as it can be targeted by attackers with minimal expertise. The affected sites may experience unauthorized data modifications that could compromise content integrity and potentially impact business operations, especially in environments where content management is critical to daily operations.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest plugin version where the vulnerability has been patched, implementing additional access control measures through custom code or security plugins, and conducting thorough audits of user permissions within their WordPress installations. The remediation process should include verifying that all users have appropriate role assignments and that administrative functions are properly restricted. Security teams should also monitor for signs of exploitation through log analysis and implement network-based detection measures to identify potential abuse of the vulnerable AJAX endpoint. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses in other plugins and themes that may present similar risks to the overall WordPress environment.