CVE-2024-1391 in Elementor Addon Elements Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/13/2024
The Elementor Addon Elements plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the ‘eae_custom_overlay_switcher’ attribute of the Thumbnail Slider widget in all versions up to, and including, 1.12.12 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, 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 • 04/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-1391 affects the Elementor Addon Elements plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting the Thumbnail Slider widget functionality. This issue represents a critical security flaw that allows authenticated attackers with contributor-level privileges or higher to execute stored cross-site scripting attacks. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's handling of the 'eae_custom_overlay_switcher' attribute, which fails to properly sanitize user input before storing it in the database. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the system and execute whenever users access pages containing the compromised content, making it particularly dangerous for content management systems where multiple users with varying permission levels can contribute content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase. When users with contributor-level access or higher utilize the Thumbnail Slider widget and manipulate the 'eae_custom_overlay_switcher' attribute, the system fails to properly validate or escape the input data before it is stored. This creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious scripts can be stored in the database and executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to and including version 1.12.12, indicating that this security flaw has existed for an extended period without proper mitigation. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, while the persistent nature of the attack aligns with CWE-807 which deals with insufficient input validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-1391 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to perform various malicious activities through compromised user sessions. Once an attacker successfully injects malicious scripts, they can potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, deface website content, or even establish persistent backdoors within the WordPress environment. The fact that this vulnerability requires only contributor-level access makes it particularly concerning for WordPress installations that have multiple content creators or contributors, as it lowers the barrier for exploitation. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious scripts remain active even after the initial injection, allowing for prolonged periods of unauthorized access and potential data exfiltration. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers credential harvesting through social engineering and phishing, as attackers can use the XSS to capture user credentials.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies to protect their WordPress installations. The primary recommendation involves updating to the latest version of the Elementor Addon Elements plugin where the XSS vulnerability has been patched. In cases where immediate updates are not feasible, administrators should consider implementing additional input validation measures at the web application firewall level and monitor for suspicious user activity or unauthorized content modifications. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of role-based access control within WordPress environments, as limiting contributor privileges can reduce the attack surface. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of all installed plugins and themes to identify similar vulnerabilities, particularly focusing on input validation and output escaping mechanisms. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security scanning procedures can help detect and prevent exploitation of similar stored XSS vulnerabilities in other components of the WordPress ecosystem.