CVE-2024-53743 in Countdown Timer for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/02/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in FlickDevs Countdown Timer for Elementor allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Countdown Timer for Elementor: from n/a through 1.3.6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2025
The CVE-2024-53743 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the FlickDevs Countdown Timer for Elementor plugin, specifically targeting versions through 1.3.6. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which occurs when web applications fail to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. The flaw manifests as an improper neutralization of input during web page generation, creating a persistent security risk that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability enables stored XSS attacks, meaning that malicious scripts can be permanently stored on the server and executed whenever users access affected pages. This particular weakness exists within the countdown timer plugin's handling of user-provided parameters or configuration settings that are later rendered in HTML output without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this by injecting malicious JavaScript code through input fields or configuration options that are then stored and executed when other users view the countdown timer on the website.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, and potentially gain access to administrative functions. When users visit pages containing the vulnerable countdown timer, their browsers execute the injected scripts, which can lead to data theft, account takeovers, or further exploitation of the compromised systems. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists until manually removed from the plugin configuration or the affected version is updated.
Security practitioners should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest version of the Countdown Timer for Elementor plugin where the vulnerability has been patched, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their Elementor-based websites to identify any other potentially vulnerable plugins or components that might exhibit similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566.001 - Phishing with Social Engineering, as attackers can leverage the XSS flaw to deliver malicious payloads that compromise user systems. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers and regular security scanning of their web applications to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.