CVE-2024-2492 in PowerPack Addons for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/10/2024
The PowerPack Addons for Elementor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the Twitter Tweet widget in all versions up to, and including, 2.7.18 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 • 04/10/2025
The PowerPack Addons for Elementor plugin represents a popular extension for WordPress that enhances the functionality of the Elementor page builder with additional widgets and features. This particular vulnerability exists within the Twitter Tweet widget component of the plugin, affecting all versions through 2.7.18. The flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization mechanisms and insufficient output escaping practices that fail to properly validate or escape user-supplied data before it is stored and subsequently rendered on web pages. This vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities where improper validation of input data leads to execution of malicious scripts in the context of the victim's browser. The security implications are particularly concerning given that the vulnerability requires only contributor-level access or higher to exploit, making it accessible to users who already possess significant privileges within a WordPress environment.
Attackers leveraging this stored cross-site scripting vulnerability can inject malicious JavaScript code through the Twitter Tweet widget configuration interface. Once the malicious payload is stored in the database, it will execute automatically whenever any user accesses a page containing the compromised widget, regardless of whether the user has elevated privileges or not. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be used to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or even establish backdoor access to compromised systems. The vulnerability operates under the ATT&CK framework category of T1566 - Phishing, specifically targeting the initial access phase where attackers can leverage compromised user accounts to deliver malicious payloads through trusted interfaces. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious code remains active until manually removed from the plugin configuration, potentially affecting multiple users over extended periods.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and trustworthiness of the WordPress site. Contributors and higher-level users who are trusted with content management capabilities become potential vectors for attack, as their elevated privileges allow them to inject code that can affect all site visitors. This creates a scenario where a single compromised account can lead to widespread client-side attacks across the entire user base. Organizations relying on WordPress with Elementor and PowerPack plugins face significant risk of data breaches, credential theft, and potential further exploitation through chained attacks that could leverage the executed malicious scripts to escalate privileges or access additional system resources. The vulnerability also affects the plugin's reputation and the broader WordPress ecosystem where trusted third-party extensions can become attack vectors for sophisticated adversaries.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the stored XSS vulnerability, as the vendor has likely released patches to resolve the input sanitization and output escaping deficiencies. Administrators should implement additional security measures including role-based access controls to limit contributor-level privileges where possible, and conduct thorough audits of all plugin configurations to identify and remove any previously injected malicious content. Regular security monitoring and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to detect similar issues in other plugins or themes that may exhibit similar input validation weaknesses. The remediation process should also include user education about the risks of granting elevated privileges to untrusted users and implementing proper input validation practices throughout the WordPress ecosystem. Organizations should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers as an additional defense-in-depth measure to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, while also establishing incident response procedures to quickly detect and respond to any exploitation attempts that may have already occurred.