CVE-2024-4471 is a deserialization vulnerability classified under CWE-502 found in the WordPress plugin '140+ Widgets | Best Addons For Elementor – FREE' by xpro, affecting all versions up to and including 1.4.3.1. The vulnerability arises from unsafe deserialization of untrusted input within the 'export_content' function, which processes serialized PHP objects. Authenticated users with contributor-level or higher permissions can exploit this flaw by injecting malicious PHP objects. Although the plugin itself does not contain a POP (Property Oriented Programming) chain necessary for full exploitation, if other plugins or themes installed on the same WordPress instance provide such chains, attackers could leverage them to perform destructive actions such as arbitrary file deletion, sensitive data retrieval, or remote code execution. The attack vector requires network access and authentication, with user interaction needed to trigger the vulnerability. The CVSS v3.1 score is 8.0, reflecting high severity due to the potential for full compromise of the affected system's confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk given the widespread use of Elementor and its addons in WordPress environments.

This vulnerability can lead to severe consequences for organizations running WordPress sites with the affected plugin. An attacker with contributor-level access could escalate privileges or execute arbitrary code if a suitable POP chain is available, potentially leading to full site compromise. This includes unauthorized data access, defacement, malware implantation, or service disruption. The impact extends to loss of customer trust, regulatory penalties if sensitive data is exposed, and operational downtime. Given the popularity of Elementor and its addons, many websites globally could be at risk, especially those that do not restrict contributor permissions tightly or fail to monitor plugin security. The requirement for authentication limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, as contributor accounts are common in multi-user WordPress environments.

Organizations should immediately update the '140+ Widgets | Best Addons For Elementor – FREE' plugin to a patched version once available. Until a patch is released, restrict contributor-level permissions to trusted users only and audit existing user roles to minimize exposure. Disable or remove unnecessary plugins and themes that could provide POP chains to reduce exploitation risk. Implement Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block suspicious serialized payloads targeting the 'export_content' function. Monitor logs for unusual activity related to plugin export functions and user actions. Employ principle of least privilege for WordPress user roles and consider additional authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication to reduce the likelihood of compromised accounts. Regularly back up WordPress sites to enable recovery in case of exploitation.