CVE-2026-97352 in News Kit Addons for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/24/2026
The News Kit Addons For Elementor WordPress plugin before 1.4.9 does not perform a capability check on one of its AJAX actions, allowing authenticated users with subscriber-level access and above to install and activate a specific News Kit Addons For Elementor WordPress plugin before 1.4.9 from the WordPress.org repository.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2026
The vulnerability identified in the News Kit Addons for Elementor WordPress plugin prior to version 1.4.9 represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms, specifically categorized under CWE-862: Missing Authorization. This flaw stems directly from the absence of proper capability checks within one of the plugin's AJAX action handlers. In secure software architecture, any operation that modifies system state or accesses sensitive resources must verify that the initiating user possesses the requisite permissions to perform such actions. The lack of this verification allows attackers who have obtained valid credentials for even low-privilege accounts, such as subscriber-level users, to bypass intended restrictions and execute administrative functions remotely via AJAX requests.
From a technical perspective, WordPress plugins often utilize AJAX endpoints to handle asynchronous operations without requiring full page reloads. These endpoints are typically protected by checking the current user's capabilities against specific roles defined in the WordPress core. In this instance, the developer failed to implement these checks for a particular action related to plugin management. Consequently, an authenticated attacker can craft malicious HTTP POST requests targeting this vulnerable endpoint. By manipulating the parameters of this request, the attacker instructs the server to download and activate another version or variant of the News Kit Addons for Elementor plugin from the official WordPress.org repository. This process does not require any additional authentication tokens beyond what is already present in a standard logged-in session, making it highly exploitable against sites with multiple user accounts where some users may have minimal privileges but are still considered authenticated.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple privilege escalation. Once the attacker successfully installs and activates the targeted plugin version through this unauthorized mechanism, they gain significant control over the WordPress environment depending on what that specific plugin does. If the installed plugin contains its own vulnerabilities or is configured to execute arbitrary code, the attacker effectively achieves remote code execution (RCE) with the privileges of the web server user. This aligns closely with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059: Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it allows for the injection and execution of malicious scripts within the context of the application. Furthermore, this action facilitates lateral movement if other plugins or themes are subsequently compromised using similar methods, potentially leading to a complete site takeover.
Beyond immediate code execution risks, this vulnerability enables persistent backdoor installation. The attacker can install malware-laden plugins that remain active even after the initial exploit is no longer being used, allowing for long-term surveillance of website traffic, theft of sensitive data such as user credentials or financial information, and defacement of public-facing content. This scenario mirrors MITRE ATT&CK technique T1505: Server Software Component, where attackers establish persistence by installing malicious components within the server's software ecosystem. The ability to install plugins from the official repository is particularly dangerous because it may bypass certain security scanners that only look for known malware signatures in uploaded files rather than monitoring administrative actions performed via AJAX endpoints.
Mitigation strategies must focus on immediate remediation and future hardening of access control practices. The primary and most effective solution is to upgrade the News Kit Addons for Elementor plugin to version 1.4.9 or later, where this specific authorization flaw has been addressed by the developers. For organizations unable to update immediately due to compatibility concerns, temporary mitigation involves restricting AJAX endpoint access through web application firewall rules that block unauthorized POST requests to known vulnerable endpoints if their paths can be identified. Additionally, implementing strict role-based access control policies and auditing all custom plugin code for missing capability checks is essential. Developers should adhere to the principle of least privilege by ensuring that every administrative action verifies user roles using WordPress functions such as current_user_can before processing any request. Regular security audits focusing on authentication and authorization logic are critical to preventing similar vulnerabilities in future releases or other plugins within the same ecosystem.