CVE-2024-3985 in Exclusive Addons for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/03/2024
The Exclusive Addons for Elementor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's Call to Action widget in all versions up to, and including, 2.6.9.3 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. 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 • 04/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-3985 affects the Exclusive Addons for Elementor WordPress plugin, specifically targeting the Call to Action widget functionality. This issue represents a critical security flaw that allows authenticated attackers with contributor-level permissions or higher to execute stored cross-site scripting attacks. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's handling of user-supplied attributes, where inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms fail to properly validate or escape malicious content. The affected versions include all releases up to and including 2.6.9.3, making a substantial portion of the plugin's user base potentially vulnerable to this attack vector.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to adequately sanitize user inputs before storing them in the database and subsequently rendering them in web pages. When contributors or higher-privileged users create or modify content using the Call to Action widget, they can inject malicious JavaScript code through various attributes that are not properly validated or escaped. This stored XSS vulnerability occurs because the plugin does not employ proper security measures such as input filtering, output encoding, or Content Security Policy enforcement when processing user data. The flaw aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities resulting from insufficient output escaping and improper input validation. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning as it requires only contributor-level access, which is often granted to trusted users within WordPress environments, making the attack surface more accessible.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-3985 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the compromised WordPress environment. When victims access pages containing the stored malicious scripts, the injected code executes in their browsers, potentially allowing attackers to steal cookies, modify page content, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute commands on behalf of the affected users. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall under T1566.001 - Phishing and T1059.001 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables both user deception through malicious content delivery and execution of arbitrary code within victim browsers. The attack chain typically involves an authenticated attacker creating malicious content, which then executes automatically when other users view affected pages, creating a persistent threat vector.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-3985 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the stored XSS vulnerability, as developers have likely released patches containing proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Organizations should implement additional security measures including role-based access control reviews to limit contributor privileges where possible, regular security audits of installed plugins, and implementation of Content Security Policies to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all WordPress installations, monitor for suspicious activities related to the affected plugin, and educate users about the risks of granting excessive privileges. The remediation process should include verifying that updated plugin versions properly implement proper input validation using WordPress's built-in sanitization functions and ensuring output escaping is consistently applied to all user-supplied content before rendering in web pages.