CVE-2024-12061 identifies an authorization bypass vulnerability classified under CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key) in the Events Addon for Elementor plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 2.2.3. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access control in the naevents_elementor_template shortcode, which fails to properly restrict which posts can be included or rendered. Authenticated users with Contributor-level privileges or higher can exploit this flaw to access private or draft posts created with Elementor that they normally should not be able to view. This occurs because the plugin does not adequately verify the user's permissions against the requested post content, allowing unauthorized data exposure. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond authentication and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CVSS v3.1 score is 4.3 (medium), with the vector indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, privileges required at the low level, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and limited confidentiality impact. No known public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability poses a risk to the confidentiality of sensitive content on affected WordPress sites. The lack of patch links suggests that a fix may not yet be publicly available, emphasizing the need for monitoring and mitigation.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-12061 is unauthorized disclosure of private or draft post content within WordPress sites using the vulnerable Events Addon for Elementor plugin. This can lead to leakage of sensitive or confidential information that site owners intended to keep restricted. While the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or availability, the exposure of private content can have reputational consequences, violate privacy policies, and potentially expose business-sensitive information. Organizations relying on this plugin for event management or content presentation may face risks of internal data leaks or information disclosure to unauthorized users with Contributor or higher roles. Since Contributor roles are common in multi-author WordPress environments, the attack surface includes many legitimate users who could abuse this flaw. The medium severity score reflects the limited scope and impact, but the risk is non-negligible for sites hosting sensitive or proprietary content. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits once details become widely known.

To mitigate CVE-2024-12061, organizations should first verify if they are using the Events Addon for Elementor plugin version 2.2.3 or earlier. If so, they should monitor the vendor's channels for official patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. In the interim, administrators can restrict Contributor-level user permissions to limit access to the naevents_elementor_template shortcode or disable the Events Addon if feasible. Implementing strict role-based access controls and auditing user privileges can reduce the risk of exploitation. Additionally, site owners should review and harden WordPress security configurations, including limiting plugin usage to trusted and actively maintained addons. Monitoring logs for unusual access patterns to private or draft posts may help detect exploitation attempts. Employing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with custom rules to block suspicious shortcode usage or unauthorized requests targeting the plugin endpoints can provide an additional protective layer. Finally, educating content authors and administrators about the risk and encouraging minimal privilege principles will help reduce exposure.