CVE-2024-3927 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-424 (Improper Protection of Alternate Path) found in the Element Pack Elementor Addons plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting components such as Header Footer, Template Library, Dynamic Grid & Carousel, and Remote Arrows. The vulnerability exists because the plugin does not correctly validate all variations of administrator email addresses, particularly those using the '+' character (email subaddressing). This improper validation allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass restrictions that normally prevent non-admin users from submitting forms that are intended only for administrators. By exploiting this, attackers can submit contact forms that appear to originate from an admin email, potentially enabling unauthorized actions or injection of malicious content through these forms. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 5.6.3. The CVSS v3.1 score of 5.3 indicates a medium severity, with an attack vector that is network-based, requires no privileges, no user interaction, and impacts integrity but not confidentiality or availability. No patches or known exploits have been reported at the time of publication, but the risk remains due to the ease of exploitation and the widespread use of the plugin in WordPress environments.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-3927 is on data integrity within affected WordPress sites using the vulnerable plugin. Attackers can bypass admin email restrictions on form submissions, potentially allowing unauthorized or malicious data to be injected into contact forms or other form-based workflows. This could lead to spam, phishing attempts, or manipulation of site content or workflows that rely on form submissions. While confidentiality and availability are not directly affected, the integrity compromise can undermine trust in site communications and may facilitate further attacks such as social engineering or privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities. Organizations relying on this plugin for critical communications or workflows may experience operational disruptions or reputational damage. The vulnerability's ease of exploitation and lack of authentication requirements increase the risk of widespread abuse, especially on publicly accessible WordPress sites.

To mitigate CVE-2024-3927, organizations should immediately update the Element Pack Elementor Addons plugin to a version that addresses this vulnerability once available. In the absence of an official patch, administrators can implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict access to contact forms by implementing additional server-side validation that explicitly checks and normalizes administrator email addresses, including handling '+' subaddressing variations. 2) Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block form submissions containing suspicious email address patterns that attempt to bypass admin restrictions. 3) Monitor form submission logs for unusual activity or repeated attempts using '+' email variations. 4) Limit the exposure of the vulnerable forms by restricting access to trusted IP ranges or requiring CAPTCHA challenges to reduce automated exploitation. 5) Educate site administrators about the risk and encourage regular plugin updates and security audits. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific vector exploited in this vulnerability.