CVE-2024-9541 in News Kit Elementor Addons Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/22/2024
The News Kit Elementor Addons plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Sensitive Information Exposure in all versions up to, and including, 1.2.1 via the render function in includes/widgets/canvas-menu/canvas-menu.php. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to extract sensitive private, pending, and draft Elementor template data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-9541 affects the News Kit Elementor Addons plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting versions up to and including 1.2.1. This security flaw resides within the render function located in the file includes/widgets/canvas-menu/canvas-menu.php, representing a significant weakness in the plugin's access control mechanisms. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-200, which deals with improper exposure of sensitive information, making it a critical concern for WordPress environments that rely on this plugin for their website functionality.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through an insecure implementation in the canvas menu widget's rendering process. When authenticated attackers with Contributor-level privileges or higher access the affected plugin, they can leverage this flaw to extract sensitive template data from the Elementor builder system. This includes private, pending, and draft templates that should normally be restricted from unauthorized access. The vulnerability essentially bypasses the intended access controls that should protect unpublished content from being viewed by users who do not have appropriate permissions to see such sensitive information.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for WordPress websites using the News Kit Elementor Addons plugin. Contributors and higher-level users who should only have limited access to create and edit content can potentially access confidential template data that may contain proprietary designs, unpublished marketing campaigns, or other sensitive business information. This exposure could lead to competitive intelligence leaks, unauthorized content manipulation, or even facilitate more sophisticated attacks that target the broader WordPress ecosystem. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as it undermines the fundamental security model of content management systems where different user roles should have clearly defined access boundaries.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002, which focuses on data from information repositories, specifically targeting the exposure of sensitive data through web application vulnerabilities. Organizations using this plugin should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest version of the News Kit Elementor Addons plugin where the vulnerability has been addressed. Additionally, administrators should review user permissions and ensure that only trusted individuals have Contributor-level access or higher, as this vulnerability requires such privileges to be effectively exploited. The recommended mitigation strategy includes immediate patching, followed by comprehensive access control reviews and monitoring for any unauthorized template access attempts that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.