CVE-2024-4615 in Elespare Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/13/2024
The Elespare – Blog, Magazine and Newspaper Addons for Elementor with Templates, Widgets, Kits, and Header/Footer Builder. One Click Import: No Coding Required! plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'Horizontal Nav Menu' widget in all versions up to, and including, 3.1.2 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 • 03/23/2025
The CVE-2024-4615 vulnerability affects the Elespare WordPress plugin, a popular addon for Elementor that provides blog, magazine, and newspaper templates along with various widgets and header/footer builders. This plugin enables users to create professional websites without coding knowledge, making it widely adopted across WordPress installations. The vulnerability specifically resides within the 'Horizontal Nav Menu' widget functionality, which allows users to create navigation menus for their websites. The issue impacts all versions up to and including 3.1.2, representing a significant security gap that could be exploited by malicious actors within the WordPress ecosystem.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase. When users configure the Horizontal Nav Menu widget, they can provide various attributes and parameters that are then processed and rendered on website pages. The vulnerability occurs because the plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input data before storing it in the database and subsequently rendering it on web pages. This lack of proper validation creates an environment where malicious scripts can be stored and executed without proper filtering or escaping, directly violating fundamental web security principles. The vulnerability is classified as a stored XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attack vector, where malicious code persists in the system and executes whenever affected pages are accessed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is particularly concerning given the privilege levels required for exploitation. Attackers need only contributor-level access or higher to leverage this vulnerability, which represents a relatively low barrier to entry within WordPress security models. Contributors typically have the ability to create and edit posts, upload files, and manage their own content, making this a serious threat in environments where multiple users have varying levels of access. When exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further compromise of the WordPress installation. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive information, modification of website content, or redirection to malicious sites.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of established frameworks such as CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software systems. The ATT&CK framework's T1566.001 technique for "Phishing with Spoofed Credentials" could be relevant as attackers might use this vulnerability to craft malicious navigation menus that appear legitimate to end users. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the plugin to version 3.1.3 or later, which should contain the necessary input sanitization fixes. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as role-based access control reviews, monitoring for suspicious widget configurations, and regular security audits of installed plugins. Furthermore, administrators should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers as an additional defense-in-depth measure to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts even if such vulnerabilities exist in other parts of the system.