CVE-2023-48756 in JetBlocks for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/14/2023
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Crocoblock JetBlocks For Elementor allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects JetBlocks For Elementor: from n/a through 1.3.8.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-48756 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Crocoblock JetBlocks For Elementor plugin, specifically impacting versions ranging from the initial release through 1.3.8. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The issue manifests as a reflected XSS vulnerability, meaning that malicious scripts are reflected off the web server to the victim's browser, typically through URL parameters or form inputs that are not properly sanitized or escaped before being rendered in the web page context.
The technical flaw occurs during the web page generation process where user input is not adequately neutralized before being incorporated into dynamically generated HTML content. When a user visits a page containing malicious input within the plugin's parameters, the server fails to properly escape or sanitize the data, allowing attackers to inject script code that executes in the context of the victim's browser. This vulnerability specifically affects the JetBlocks For Elementor plugin, which is widely used for creating custom blocks and layouts within the Elementor page builder environment, making it a potentially high-impact issue for websites relying on this plugin ecosystem.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious websites, and data exfiltration from authenticated users. Attackers can craft malicious URLs containing XSS payloads that, when clicked by an unsuspecting user with valid session cookies, can execute unauthorized actions on behalf of the victim. This includes potentially gaining administrative privileges if the victim is a site administrator, or accessing sensitive user data through the execution of malicious scripts that can interact with the browser's DOM and make AJAX requests to the vulnerable application. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack vector is typically delivered through social engineering techniques where users are tricked into clicking malicious links.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-48756 should prioritize immediate remediation through updating to the latest version of the JetBlocks For Elementor plugin where the XSS vulnerability has been patched. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in custom applications. The mitigation approach should include implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, employing proper HTML escaping for all dynamic content, and conducting regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing. Additionally, security teams should establish monitoring procedures to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts, while also considering the implementation of web application firewalls to provide additional layers of protection. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1566 (Phishing) techniques as attackers may leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious scripts and deliver phishing payloads respectively. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security audits to prevent unauthorized modifications to web applications that could introduce similar vulnerabilities.