CVE-2024-5332 in Exclusive Addons for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/26/2024
The Exclusive Addons for Elementor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's Card widget in all versions up to, and including, 2.6.9.8 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 • 03/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-5332 affects the Exclusive Addons for Elementor WordPress plugin, specifically targeting the Card widget functionality within versions up to and including 2.6.9.8. This represents a critical security flaw that exploits the plugin's insufficient input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms, creating a persistent cross-site scripting attack vector. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only contributor-level user access to exploit, making it accessible to users who can publish content but do not typically possess administrative privileges.
The technical flaw manifests through the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied attributes when rendering the Card widget. When authenticated users with contributor permissions or higher create or modify content using this widget, they can inject malicious scripts into the widget parameters. These scripts are then stored within the WordPress database and executed whenever any user accesses pages containing the compromised widget. This stored XSS vulnerability operates at the application layer and directly impacts the integrity of user sessions and data confidentiality.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for WordPress sites utilizing the affected plugin. Attackers with contributor-level access can execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The impact extends beyond immediate script execution as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, modify content, or establish persistent backdoors within the affected WordPress environment. The vulnerability affects all users who can access the plugin's Card widget, making it particularly dangerous in collaborative environments where multiple users have content creation privileges.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws resulting from insufficient input validation and output escaping. This weakness enables attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The attack vector follows the ATT&CK framework's technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content and T1059.001 for command and control through script execution. Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization issues, user access reviews to limit contributor privileges where possible, and content filtering to prevent script injection in user-contributed content areas.
Security best practices recommend implementing proper input validation, output escaping, and Content Security Policy headers to prevent similar vulnerabilities. The affected plugin developers should ensure all user-supplied input is properly sanitized before storage and that output is appropriately escaped for the context in which it is rendered. Additionally, implementing role-based access controls and regular security audits can help identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors. Organizations should monitor for exploitation attempts and maintain updated threat intelligence to respond effectively to emerging attack patterns targeting WordPress plugins with similar security flaws.