CVE-2026-62078 in Premium Addons for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
Contributor Cross Site Scripting (XSS) in Premium Addons for Elementor <= 4.11.105 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The vulnerability identified as a Contributor Cross-Site Scripting issue within the Premium Addons plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting versions up to and including 4.11.105, represents a significant security risk targeting users with lower privilege levels such as Contributors or Authors. This flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms when handling user-supplied data that is subsequently rendered in web pages without proper encoding. In the context of WordPress ecosystems, where plugins often extend core functionality through hooks and filters, this vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious client-side scripts into legitimate web content served by the application. The attack vector typically involves a Contributor-level user creating or editing post content, widgets, or other plugin-specific elements that accept HTML input. Because the system fails to adequately strip or encode potentially dangerous script tags, event handlers, or JavaScript URIs, these payloads are stored in the database and executed when viewed by other users or even the attacker themselves if they view their own published content.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which classifies Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation commonly known as Cross-Site Scripting. The root cause lies in the plugin's failure to apply output encoding correctly before rendering user-generated data within HTML contexts. When a Contributor submits content containing malicious JavaScript code, such as an image tag with an onerror attribute or a script block, the application processes this input and stores it without sanitization. Subsequently, when another user accesses the page displaying this content, their browser interprets the injected scripts as part of the legitimate webpage. This execution context is critical because it allows the malicious code to run within the security domain of the WordPress site, granting the attacker access to session cookies, local storage data, and other sensitive information associated with the victim's active session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple defacement or alert boxes often associated with non-persistent XSS attacks. Since the payload is stored in the database, it constitutes a persistent cross-site scripting attack, meaning every user who views the compromised content will have their browser execute the malicious script automatically. This can lead to severe consequences including session hijacking, where an attacker captures authentication cookies to impersonate legitimate users and gain higher privileges within the WordPress admin dashboard. It also enables credential harvesting through fake login forms injected into the page, phishing attacks that trick users into revealing sensitive information, and potentially malware distribution if the script redirects victims to malicious sites. For organizations relying on this plugin for content management or e-commerce functionality via Elementor, such an incident can result in data breaches, loss of customer trust, regulatory compliance violations under frameworks like GDPR or HIPAA depending on the nature of stored data, and significant reputational damage requiring extensive forensic investigation and remediation efforts.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate technical fixes and broader security hygiene practices. The primary recommendation is to upgrade Premium Addons for Elementor to version 4.11.106 or later, where the developers have implemented proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms to neutralize malicious scripts before they are rendered in the browser. For environments unable to update immediately due to compatibility constraints, administrators should consider restricting Contributor-level access to only necessary capabilities and enforcing strict content moderation workflows where all new posts are reviewed by an Administrator or Editor before publication. Additionally, implementing a Web Application Firewall can provide an additional layer of defense by detecting and blocking common XSS payloads in HTTP requests. Security teams should also audit existing content for any previously injected malicious scripts that may have been stored prior to the patch application. Regular security audits, adherence to OWASP Top Ten guidelines regarding input validation and output encoding, and continuous monitoring of plugin updates are essential components of a robust defense-in-depth strategy against such vulnerabilities in WordPress-based architectures.