CVE-2024-5686 in Addons for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/20/2024
The WPZOOM Addons for Elementor (Templates, Widgets) plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the ‘url’ attribute within the plugin's Team Members widget in all versions up to, and including, 1.1.38 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 WPZOOM Addons for Elementor plugin presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects versions up to and including 1.1.38. This vulnerability specifically targets the Team Members widget component where the 'url' attribute fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it on web pages. The flaw represents a classic stored xss vulnerability where malicious scripts are permanently stored on the server and executed whenever users access affected pages, making it particularly dangerous for content management systems that rely heavily on user-generated content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase. When administrators or users with contributor-level access create or modify team member entries through the Elementor interface, the plugin fails to properly validate or escape the URL field values before storing them in the database. This oversight allows attackers to inject malicious javascript code that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view pages containing the compromised team member data. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires minimal privileges, specifically contributor-level access, making it particularly concerning for WordPress environments where multiple users have editing capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the ability to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. Since the vulnerability affects the Team Members widget, attackers could compromise pages displaying team information, executive leadership, or staff directories, potentially affecting thousands of users who access these pages regularly. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that once injected, malicious scripts persist indefinitely until manually removed by administrators, creating a persistent threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly across different user sessions.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to patched versions of the WPZOOM Addons for Elementor plugin, implementing input validation at multiple layers, and conducting thorough security audits of all installed plugins. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for credential access and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage. Regular monitoring of plugin updates, implementation of web application firewalls, and user access controls should be enforced to minimize the risk of exploitation, particularly in environments where multiple contributors have access to content management interfaces.