CVE-2024-1049 in Page Builder Gutenberg Blocks Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/23/2024
The Page Builder Gutenberg Blocks – CoBlocks plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's Icon Widget's in all versions up to, and including, 3.1.6 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the link value. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with contributor-level and above permissions to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-1049 affects the Page Builder Gutenberg Blocks – CoBlocks plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting the Icon Widget functionality within all versions up to and including 3.1.6. This represents a critical security flaw that exploits the plugin's inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms, creating a pathway for persistent cross-site scripting attacks. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only contributor-level permissions or higher to exploit, making it accessible to users who should normally have restricted capabilities within a WordPress environment.
The technical flaw stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input when processing link values within the Icon Widget component. When an authenticated attacker with contributor privileges or higher creates or modifies a page using the CoBlocks plugin, they can inject malicious JavaScript code into the link field of an icon widget. This code is then stored in the WordPress database and executed whenever any user accesses a page containing the maliciously crafted widget. The vulnerability operates as a stored XSS attack because the malicious payload persists in the database rather than being executed only during a single request, allowing the attack to affect multiple users over time.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to perform various malicious activities through the compromised WordPress installation. An attacker could potentially steal user session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, deface pages, or even escalate privileges within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability's accessibility to contributor-level users means that an attacker could gain unauthorized access to a WordPress site through a relatively low-privilege account, making this attack vector particularly dangerous for sites with multiple contributors or users with elevated permissions. This weakness undermines the security model of WordPress, where different user roles should have clearly defined and restricted capabilities.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws that occur when untrusted data is sent to a user agent without proper sanitization or escaping. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 - Phishing via Social Engineering and T1547.001 - Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder, as attackers could use this vulnerability to establish persistent access through malicious scripts. Organizations should immediately update to the latest version of the CoBlocks plugin where this vulnerability has been patched, and implement additional monitoring for suspicious page modifications. The recommended mitigations include restricting contributor permissions, implementing content security policies, and regularly auditing plugin installations for security updates. Regular security assessments of WordPress installations should include vulnerability scanning of all active plugins to identify similar issues that could provide attackers with unauthorized access to sensitive systems.