CVE-2024-13215 is a vulnerability identified in the Elementor Addon Elements WordPress plugin, specifically in the 'render' function located in modules/modal-popup/widgets/modal-popup.php. This flaw allows authenticated users with Contributor-level privileges or higher to access sensitive template data that should normally be restricted, including private, pending, scheduled, and draft templates. The vulnerability arises from improper access control checks in the rendering logic of modal popups, leading to exposure of private personal information (classified under CWE-359: Exposure of Private Personal Information to an Unauthorized Actor). The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), and privileges at the Contributor level (PR:L), but no user interaction is needed (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact affects confidentiality only (C:L), with no impact on integrity or availability. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.13.10 of the plugin. No patches have been published yet, and no known exploits are currently active in the wild. The vulnerability was assigned a CVSS v3.1 score of 4.3, indicating medium severity. The flaw can be exploited by attackers who have obtained Contributor-level access, which is a common privilege level granted to users who can create and manage content but not publish it. This makes the vulnerability particularly relevant for multi-user WordPress environments where contributors are trusted but not fully privileged. Exploiting this vulnerability could allow attackers to harvest sensitive template data, potentially leading to information leakage that could be used for further attacks or privacy violations.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-13215 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive private template data within WordPress sites using the vulnerable Elementor Addon Elements plugin. This exposure can compromise confidentiality by allowing attackers with Contributor-level access to view information that should be restricted, including unpublished or draft content templates. While the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or availability, the leakage of private information can lead to reputational damage, privacy violations, and could facilitate further targeted attacks such as social engineering or privilege escalation. Organizations with multi-user WordPress environments are at higher risk, especially those that grant Contributor-level access to external or less-trusted users. Since no patches are currently available, the window for exploitation remains open, increasing the risk over time. The lack of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate the risk, as attackers could develop exploits. The vulnerability could be leveraged in industries where content confidentiality is critical, such as media, education, healthcare, and government websites. Additionally, sites with high traffic or strategic importance could be targeted to extract sensitive unpublished content or templates for malicious purposes.

Until an official patch is released, organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict Contributor-level access strictly to trusted users only, minimizing the number of users with such privileges. 2) Review and audit user roles and permissions regularly to ensure no unnecessary Contributor or higher-level access is granted. 3) Monitor logs and user activities for unusual access patterns to template data or modal popup rendering functions. 4) Consider temporarily disabling or removing the Elementor Addon Elements plugin if Contributor-level access cannot be sufficiently controlled. 5) Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the modal-popup widget endpoints. 6) Educate site administrators and content managers about the risk and encourage vigilance regarding user access management. 7) Stay informed about updates from the vendor and apply patches immediately once available. 8) Employ principle of least privilege in WordPress user management to reduce attack surface. 9) Use security plugins that can provide additional access control and monitoring capabilities for WordPress environments. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control tightening, monitoring, and proactive plugin management tailored to this specific vulnerability.