CVE-2024-31289 in Elementor Hello Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/12/2024
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Elementor Hello Elementor.This issue affects Hello Elementor: from n/a through 3.0.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2025
The CVE-2024-31289 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Elementor Hello Elementor plugin, which serves as a foundational theme for the popular website builder platform. This vulnerability exists in versions ranging from an unspecified initial state through version 3.0.0, creating a substantial attack surface that could compromise numerous WordPress installations utilizing this theme. The issue stems from the plugin's insufficient validation of cross-site requests, allowing malicious actors to exploit the weakness through crafted HTTP requests that appear to originate from legitimate users. The vulnerability directly impacts the security posture of websites relying on Elementor's Hello Elementor theme, as it enables unauthorized actions to be performed on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to implement proper anti-CSRF measures during critical administrative operations. When users access certain administrative endpoints within the Hello Elementor theme, the system does not adequately verify the authenticity of the request origin or validate the presence of required security tokens. This absence of proper request validation creates an exploitable condition where attackers can craft malicious requests that leverage the user's existing authenticated session to perform unauthorized modifications. The vulnerability operates through standard CSRF attack patterns where an attacker constructs a malicious payload that, when executed by an authenticated user, triggers unintended actions within the application's administrative interface. The flaw is particularly concerning because it affects a widely used theme component that serves as the foundation for many Elementor-powered websites, amplifying the potential impact across numerous installations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform administrative actions that could fundamentally compromise website integrity and user data. An attacker exploiting this CSRF vulnerability could potentially modify theme settings, alter content, install malicious plugins, or even escalate privileges within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability's scope is particularly dangerous because the Hello Elementor theme is designed to be the default starting point for Elementor users, meaning that a significant portion of Elementor installations would be vulnerable if they have not updated to a patched version. This creates a cascading security risk where individual website compromises can lead to broader network effects, especially in environments where multiple sites share similar configurations or where the compromised site serves as a gateway to other systems.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected versions, with administrators urged to upgrade to the latest available version of the Hello Elementor theme. The fix typically involves implementing proper CSRF token validation mechanisms and ensuring that all administrative endpoints require verification of the request origin and authenticity. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security measures such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious cross-site request patterns, along with monitoring for unauthorized administrative activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses in software applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through administrative access, as attackers could leverage the CSRF flaw to gain unauthorized control over website administration functions. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should include checks for CSRF protections in all WordPress themes and plugins, with particular attention to foundational components like default themes that serve as entry points for broader attacks.