CVE-2023-41656 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) found in the wpdive Better Elementor Addons WordPress plugin, affecting versions up to 1.3.7. The vulnerability arises due to improperly configured access control mechanisms within the plugin, which fail to adequately verify whether a user has the necessary permissions to perform certain actions. This flaw allows an attacker with limited privileges (e.g., a low-privileged authenticated user) to execute unauthorized actions that should be restricted, potentially modifying plugin settings or affecting site content integrity and availability. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.4, indicating a medium severity level, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L. This means the attack can be performed remotely over the network without user interaction, requires low attack complexity, and some level of privileges, but does not impact confidentiality. The vulnerability does not have publicly known exploits in the wild yet, but the risk remains significant for sites relying on this plugin. Since Elementor and its addons are widely used for building WordPress websites, especially in business and e-commerce sectors, exploitation could lead to unauthorized changes or disruptions, impacting website integrity and availability. No official patches or fixes are currently linked, so users must monitor vendor updates closely. The vulnerability is relevant for organizations that use WordPress with Better Elementor Addons, particularly those with multiple user roles and contributors where privilege separation is critical.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to the integrity and availability of websites using the Better Elementor Addons plugin. Unauthorized users with limited privileges could exploit the missing authorization to alter site content, configurations, or disrupt normal operations, potentially leading to defacement, service interruptions, or degraded user experience. This can affect customer trust, brand reputation, and business continuity, especially for e-commerce platforms or service providers relying on WordPress. Since the vulnerability does not impact confidentiality, direct data breaches are less likely, but indirect effects such as misinformation or denial of service could have significant operational and financial consequences. Organizations with complex WordPress deployments or multiple contributors are at higher risk. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate the risk of future attacks. Compliance with European data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) may also be impacted if service disruptions affect data availability or integrity.

1. Monitor the vendor’s official channels for patches or updates addressing CVE-2023-41656 and apply them promptly once available. 2. Restrict access to the Better Elementor Addons plugin features to trusted and necessary users only, minimizing the number of accounts with privileges that could be leveraged. 3. Implement strict role-based access control (RBAC) within WordPress to ensure users have the minimum required permissions. 4. Regularly audit user accounts and permissions to detect and remove unnecessary privileges. 5. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the plugin endpoints. 6. Monitor logs for unusual activity related to plugin usage or privilege escalation attempts. 7. Consider isolating critical WordPress instances or using staging environments to test plugin updates before production deployment. 8. Educate site administrators and developers about the risks of missing authorization vulnerabilities and best practices for secure plugin management.