CVE-2024-5036 in Sina Extension for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/20/2024
The Sina Extension for Elementor (Slider, Gallery, Form, Modal, Data Table, Tab, Particle, Free Elementor Widgets & Elementor Templates) plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the ‘url’ parameter in all versions up to, and including, 3.5.4 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 • 03/22/2025
The Sina Extension for Elementor plugin presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects WordPress environments where this plugin is installed. This vulnerability exists within the plugin's handling of the 'url' parameter across all versions up to and including 3.5.4, creating a persistent security risk for websites that utilize this extension. The flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization and insufficient output escaping mechanisms that fail to properly validate or encode user-supplied data before it is stored and subsequently rendered in web pages. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers when they access pages containing the injected content.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly concerning given that it requires only Contributor-level access or higher to exploit, making it accessible to users who already have significant privileges within the WordPress environment. This means that malicious contributors, authors, or editors could leverage this flaw to compromise other users who access affected pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised systems. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that once malicious code is injected, it persists in the database and will execute every time affected pages are loaded, making it particularly dangerous for widespread impact.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and security of WordPress sites using the Sina Extension for Elementor plugin. The attack vector involves authenticated users injecting scripts through the 'url' parameter, which then executes whenever any user accesses pages containing the malicious content. This creates a persistent threat that can be used to steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers the use of malicious content in web applications to compromise user sessions.
Organizations should immediately update to the latest version of the Sina Extension for Elementor plugin to remediate this vulnerability, as the flaw affects all versions up to 3.5.4. Additionally, administrators should implement proper input validation and output encoding measures, particularly for parameters that handle user-provided URLs or web addresses. Monitoring for suspicious activity and implementing content security policies can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper sanitization of user inputs in web applications and highlights the need for regular security updates and vulnerability assessments to protect WordPress installations from similar threats.