CVE-2024-12110 in Gold Addons for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/06/2024
The Gold Addons for Elementor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the activate() and deactivate() functions in all versions up to, and including, 1.3.2. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to activate and deactivate licenses.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-12110 affects the Gold Addons for Elementor plugin, a popular WordPress extension that enhances the functionality of the Elementor page builder. This issue represents a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security model of the plugin by allowing unauthorized modification of licensing states. The vulnerability specifically impacts all versions up to and including 1.3.2, making it a widespread concern for WordPress sites that rely on this plugin for their website functionality and design capabilities.
The technical flaw manifests in the absence of proper capability checks within the plugin's activate() and deactivate() functions. These functions are responsible for managing license activation and deactivation processes, which are critical components of software licensing systems. When a capability check is missing, the plugin fails to verify whether the requesting user possesses the appropriate permissions to perform these administrative actions. This oversight creates a privilege escalation vulnerability where users with minimal access levels can manipulate the plugin's licensing state without proper authorization.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to WordPress site administrators and users who may not be aware of the unauthorized modifications occurring within their plugin ecosystem. Attackers with Subscriber-level access or higher can exploit this weakness to activate or deactivate licenses, potentially leading to unauthorized access to premium features, disruption of legitimate license management, or even bypassing licensing restrictions. The impact extends beyond simple data modification as it affects the integrity of the software licensing system and can compromise the overall security posture of WordPress installations.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in cybersecurity. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this weakness maps to privilege escalation techniques where adversaries leverage missing access controls to gain elevated capabilities within software systems. The vulnerability also relates to the technique of credential reuse and access token manipulation, as attackers can exploit the compromised authentication flow to perform administrative actions without proper authorization.
Organizations should immediately update to the latest version of the Gold Addons for Elementor plugin to remediate this vulnerability. Until an update is available, administrators should consider implementing additional security measures such as restricting user roles and capabilities, monitoring plugin activation and deactivation events, and ensuring that only trusted users have access to administrative functions. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in web applications, particularly in plugin ecosystems where third-party extensions can significantly impact overall system security. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar missing capability checks in other WordPress plugins and themes.