CVE-2024-11052 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79, found in the Ninja Forms plugin for WordPress, developed by kstover. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 3.8.19. The root cause is insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-supplied input in the 'calculations' parameter during web page generation. Because the input is stored and later rendered without proper neutralization, an attacker can inject arbitrary JavaScript code that executes in the context of any user who views the affected page. The vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over the network. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.2, reflecting high severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and a scope change due to impact on confidentiality and integrity. Exploitation could lead to theft of sensitive information, session hijacking, or execution of malicious actions on behalf of users. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability poses a significant risk given the popularity of Ninja Forms among WordPress sites, including commercial and governmental deployments. The lack of a patch link suggests that users must monitor vendor updates closely or apply manual mitigations.

The impact of CVE-2024-11052 is primarily on the confidentiality and integrity of affected WordPress sites and their users. Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the victim's browser, potentially stealing cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive data. This can lead to account takeover, unauthorized actions, or further compromise of the website and its users. The vulnerability does not affect availability directly but can be leveraged as a foothold for more damaging attacks. Organizations relying on Ninja Forms for contact forms or data collection risk reputational damage, data breaches, and loss of customer trust if exploited. Given the widespread use of WordPress and Ninja Forms, the threat surface is large, especially for sites with high traffic or sensitive user data. The unauthenticated nature of the exploit increases the likelihood of automated attacks and mass exploitation attempts once public proof-of-concept code or exploits emerge.

To mitigate CVE-2024-11052, organizations should immediately update the Ninja Forms plugin to a patched version once released by the vendor. Until a patch is available, administrators can implement the following specific measures: 1) Disable or restrict the use of the 'calculations' parameter in form configurations to trusted users only. 2) Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious payloads targeting the 'calculations' parameter, focusing on common XSS attack patterns. 3) Harden Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of inline scripts and untrusted sources, reducing the impact of injected scripts. 4) Regularly audit form inputs and outputs for unsafe content and sanitize stored data manually if feasible. 5) Monitor logs and user reports for unusual behavior or complaints indicative of XSS exploitation. 6) Educate site administrators and developers on secure coding practices related to input validation and output encoding. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice and help reduce exposure until official fixes are deployed.