CVE-2024-3668 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource) found in the PowerPack Pro for Elementor plugin for WordPress. This plugin, widely used to extend Elementor page builder functionality, contains a critical flaw in its user role assignment logic for registration forms. Specifically, the plugin fails to restrict contributor-level or higher authenticated users from setting the default user role on newly created registration forms. By exploiting this, an attacker with contributor access can create a registration form that assigns the administrator role by default. Subsequently, the attacker can register a new account that immediately has administrator privileges, effectively escalating their privileges from contributor to administrator without requiring any additional authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.10.17. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.8 reflects the vulnerability's high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and no user interaction required. This vulnerability allows complete site compromise, including the ability to modify content, install backdoors, or pivot to other systems. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the simplicity of the attack and the widespread use of the plugin make it a critical issue for WordPress site administrators.

The impact of CVE-2024-3668 is severe for organizations using the PowerPack Pro for Elementor plugin. Successful exploitation allows an attacker with minimal privileges (contributor or above) to escalate to administrator privileges, granting full control over the WordPress site. This can lead to unauthorized content modification, data theft, site defacement, installation of malicious plugins or backdoors, and potential lateral movement within the hosting environment. For organizations relying on WordPress for business-critical websites, this could result in significant reputational damage, data breaches, and operational disruption. Since the vulnerability requires only authenticated contributor-level access, any compromised contributor account or insider threat can be leveraged for full site takeover. The absence of required user interaction and the network attack vector further increase the risk of rapid exploitation. This vulnerability could also be used as a foothold for launching further attacks against connected systems or customers.

To mitigate CVE-2024-3668, organizations should immediately audit user roles and permissions within their WordPress installations, ensuring that only trusted users have contributor-level or higher access. Restrict contributor roles or temporarily disable registration forms created by contributors until a patch is available. Monitor for suspicious registration forms or unexpected administrator accounts. Apply the vendor's patch or update the PowerPack Pro for Elementor plugin to a fixed version as soon as it is released. If a patch is not yet available, consider disabling or removing the plugin temporarily to eliminate the attack vector. Implement strong authentication and monitoring for all user accounts, especially those with elevated privileges. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block attempts to create registration forms with elevated default roles. Regularly review plugin security advisories and maintain an incident response plan for rapid containment in case of exploitation.