CVE-2024-5533 in Divi Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/18/2024
The Divi theme for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting in all versions up to, and including, 4.25.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Author-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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-5533 affects the Divi theme for WordPress, representing a critical stored cross-site scripting weakness that has persisted across all versions up to and including 4.25.1. This flaw resides in the theme's failure to properly sanitize user inputs and escape output data, creating a persistent security gap that can be exploited by malicious actors with relatively low privileges. The vulnerability specifically targets authenticated attackers who possess Author-level access or higher within WordPress installations utilizing the affected Divi theme, making it particularly concerning given the widespread adoption of this popular theme among WordPress users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the Divi theme's codebase, particularly in how it processes and handles user-generated content submitted through various theme features and options. When authenticated users with sufficient privileges create or modify content that gets stored in the database, the theme fails to properly sanitize this data before it is rendered back to users. This insufficient sanitization allows malicious scripts to be stored persistently within the WordPress database, where they remain dormant until accessed by other users. The vulnerability manifests when these stored scripts are executed in the context of other users' browsers, creating a classic stored XSS attack vector that can be leveraged for session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-5533 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate the user experience and potentially escalate their privileges within the WordPress environment. Once an attacker successfully injects malicious code, they can craft payloads that exploit other vulnerabilities or perform actions that appear to originate from legitimate users, complicating forensic analysis and detection. The attack surface is particularly broad given that the Divi theme is used across numerous websites, meaning that a single compromised installation could serve as a launching point for attacks against multiple users. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566 for initial access through malicious content and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage.
Organizations and website administrators must prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability by upgrading to the latest version of the Divi theme where the XSS flaw has been addressed through proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. The recommended mitigation strategy includes implementing comprehensive input validation at multiple layers of the application stack, enforcing strict output escaping for all dynamic content, and conducting regular security audits of theme and plugin code. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Regular security monitoring and user access reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate any unauthorized modifications that may indicate successful exploitation of this vulnerability. The importance of maintaining up-to-date software cannot be overstated, as this vulnerability demonstrates how even minor input sanitization oversights can create significant security risks for entire WordPress installations.