CVE-2024-3989 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the HT Mega – Absolute Addons For Elementor plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 2.5.0. The vulnerability is located in the Gallery Justify Widget, where insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-supplied attributes allow malicious scripts to be stored and later executed in the context of any user viewing the affected page. This flaw is classified under CWE-79, which pertains to improper neutralization of input during web page generation. Exploitation requires an attacker to have at least contributor-level authenticated access to the WordPress site, enabling them to inject arbitrary JavaScript payloads. Once injected, these scripts execute without requiring further user interaction, potentially compromising confidentiality and integrity by stealing session cookies, performing actions on behalf of users, or defacing content. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.4, reflecting a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and no user interaction needed. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk to sites using this plugin, especially those with multiple contributors or less restrictive access controls.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-3989 is the potential compromise of user sessions and site integrity through stored XSS attacks. Attackers with contributor-level access can inject malicious scripts that execute in the browsers of any users visiting the infected pages, including administrators. This can lead to theft of authentication tokens, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, defacement of website content, and potential spread of malware. For organizations, this undermines trust, risks data leakage, and may result in regulatory or compliance violations if user data is exposed. Since the vulnerability requires authenticated access, the risk is higher in environments with multiple contributors or where contributor accounts are not tightly controlled. The scope includes all WordPress sites using the affected plugin versions, which may be widespread given the popularity of Elementor and its addons. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the medium severity and ease of exploitation by authenticated users make timely remediation critical to prevent potential targeted attacks.

To mitigate CVE-2024-3989, organizations should first update the HT Mega – Absolute Addons For Elementor plugin to a version that addresses this vulnerability once released. Until a patch is available, administrators should restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only and audit existing contributor accounts for suspicious activity. Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block common XSS payloads can provide interim protection. Additionally, site owners should enforce strict input validation and output encoding in custom code or other plugins to reduce the attack surface. Regularly scanning the website for injected scripts or unusual content changes can help detect exploitation attempts early. Monitoring user activity logs for anomalous behavior by contributors is also recommended. Finally, educating contributors about safe content practices and the risks of injecting untrusted content can reduce accidental exploitation.