CVE-2025-8360 in Element Kit for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/06/2025
The LA-Studio Element Kit for Elementor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via several of the plugin's widgets in all versions up to, and including, 1.5.5.1 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 • 09/06/2025
The LA-Studio Element Kit for Elementor plugin presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects all versions up to and including 1.5.5.1. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's widget implementations, creating a persistent security flaw that can be exploited by authenticated attackers possessing contributor-level privileges or higher. The vulnerability specifically targets user-supplied attributes that are processed through the plugin's widgets, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts that persist in the WordPress database and execute whenever affected pages are accessed.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize and escape user input before storing it in the database and subsequently rendering it on web pages. When contributors or higher-privileged users create or edit content using the affected widgets, their input passes through insufficient validation filters that should normally prevent the injection of executable code. This weakness creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious scripts can be stored in the WordPress content management system and executed against any user who accesses pages containing the compromised content. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be classified under CWE-79 as a failure to escape output, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. An authenticated attacker with contributor privileges can inject scripts that redirect users to malicious sites, steal cookies, or modify page content to appear legitimate while actually performing harmful operations. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that once injected, malicious scripts remain persistent until manually removed by administrators, potentially affecting numerous users over extended periods. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content and can facilitate further compromise through credential theft or privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as this represents the most effective defense against the known flaw. Administrators should also implement strict input validation and output escaping mechanisms within their WordPress environments, ensuring that all user-supplied content undergoes proper sanitization before being stored or rendered. Role-based access controls should be reviewed to limit the privileges of contributors and other low-level users who can create content, while regular security audits should monitor for unauthorized content modifications. Additionally, implementing content security policies and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts, though these measures should complement rather than replace the core patching strategy.