CVE-2024-4265 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79 found in the WordPress plugin 'Master Addons – Free Widgets, Hover Effects, Toggle, Conditions, Animations for Elementor' developed by litonice13. The vulnerability arises from insufficient sanitization and escaping of the 'url' parameter in plugin versions up to 2.0.5.9. Authenticated attackers with contributor-level permissions or higher can exploit this flaw by injecting arbitrary JavaScript code into pages generated by the plugin. Because the malicious script is stored persistently, it executes automatically whenever any user visits the infected page, potentially compromising user sessions, stealing cookies, or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of users. The attack vector requires network access and authenticated privileges but no user interaction, increasing the risk of automated exploitation within compromised or malicious contributor accounts. The vulnerability affects all versions up to the stated release and has a CVSS 3.1 score of 6.4, indicating a medium severity level. No patches or official fixes were listed at the time of publication, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, especially in widely used CMS plugins that can be targeted to escalate privileges or compromise site visitors.

The impact of CVE-2024-4265 is primarily on the confidentiality and integrity of affected WordPress sites using the vulnerable plugin. Successful exploitation allows an attacker with contributor-level access to inject persistent malicious scripts, which can lead to session hijacking, theft of sensitive user data, defacement, or unauthorized actions performed in the context of other users, including administrators. Although the availability of the site is not directly affected, the reputational damage and potential data breaches can be significant. Organizations relying on this plugin risk compromise of their user base and administrative accounts if contributor accounts are abused. The vulnerability also increases the attack surface for further exploitation, such as privilege escalation or malware deployment. Since contributor-level access is required, the threat is heightened in environments with multiple content creators or where account credentials may be weak or reused. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently limits immediate widespread impact, but the vulnerability remains a critical risk if left unaddressed.

To mitigate CVE-2024-4265, organizations should first check for and apply any official patches or updates from the plugin vendor as soon as they become available. In the absence of a patch, administrators should restrict contributor-level permissions to trusted users only and audit existing contributor accounts for suspicious activity. Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block malicious script injections targeting the 'url' parameter can provide temporary protection. Additionally, site owners should enable Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and employ security plugins that sanitize user inputs and outputs. Regularly monitoring logs for unusual behavior and conducting security reviews of user-generated content can help detect exploitation attempts early. Finally, educating content contributors about secure practices and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication, will reduce the risk of account compromise and subsequent exploitation.