CVE-2026-111400 in PowerPack Addons Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/16/2026
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in IdeaBox Creations PowerPack Addons for Elementor powerpack-lite-for-elementor allows Stored XSS.This issue affects PowerPack Addons for Elementor: from n/a through 3.1.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2026
The identified vulnerability represents a classic instance of Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, commonly known as Cross-Site Scripting or XSS. Specifically, this is classified under CWE-79 and manifests as a Stored XSS flaw within the PowerPack Addons for Elementor plugin, developed by IdeaBox Creations. This particular variant affects versions ranging from n/a through 3.1.0 of the powerpack-lite-for-elementor package. Unlike reflected XSS attacks where malicious scripts are executed via manipulated URLs or form submissions that do not persist, stored XSS vulnerabilities involve the injection and subsequent storage of malicious code on the target server. In this context, the vulnerability allows an attacker to inject executable JavaScript code into data fields within the WordPress environment managed by Elementor. When other users subsequently view the affected page or content area where this input is rendered, the browser executes the injected script in their session context.
The technical root cause lies in insufficient sanitization and validation of user-supplied input before it is processed for storage in the database and later output to web pages without proper encoding. The plugin fails to adequately escape special characters that have semantic meaning in HTML or JavaScript contexts, such as angle brackets, quotes, and ampersands. This oversight permits an attacker who possesses at least contributor-level access or any capability to input data into vulnerable fields within the Elementor editor interface to embed malicious payloads. These payloads can range from simple alert boxes for proof-of-concept demonstrations to sophisticated scripts designed to steal session cookies, capture keystrokes, perform actions on behalf of the victim user, or redirect users to phishing sites. The persistence of this code means that every visitor viewing the compromised content becomes a potential target without needing any direct interaction with the attacker beyond visiting the page.
From an operational impact perspective, the consequences of this vulnerability are severe due to its stored nature and the high-privilege context in which WordPress administrators typically operate. If an administrator or editor is tricked into loading a maliciously crafted post or template containing the XSS payload, their browser will execute the script with full administrative privileges. This can lead to complete compromise of the WordPress installation, including unauthorized modification of site content, creation of backdoor accounts, and theft of sensitive data such as database credentials stored in configuration files if further exploitation steps are chained together. Furthermore, because Elementor is a widely used page builder plugin, the attack surface is broad, potentially affecting thousands of websites running vulnerable versions of PowerPack Addons. The trust users place in legitimate website content makes them less likely to suspect malicious scripts embedded within seemingly normal web pages, thereby increasing the success rate of social engineering components often associated with such attacks.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate remediation through software updates and defensive coding practices. The most effective solution is for site administrators to upgrade PowerPack Addons for Elementor to a version later than 3.1.0, where this input validation flaw has presumably been addressed by the developers. Until an update is available or if patching is not immediately feasible, temporary mitigations should include implementing Web Application Firewalls that can detect and block common XSS patterns in HTTP requests. Additionally, enforcing strict Content Security Policy headers on the website can help mitigate the impact of successful exploitation by restricting the sources from which scripts are allowed to execute. Developers reviewing similar codebases should ensure all user inputs are strictly validated against expected formats and encoded using appropriate context-specific encoding functions before being stored or rendered, adhering to OWASP guidelines for preventing cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.