CVE-2024-4669 identifies a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the nicheaddons Events Addon for Elementor WordPress plugin, specifically affecting all versions up to and including 2.1.4. The vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-supplied input in three key widgets: Basic Slider, Upcoming Events, and Schedule. This flaw allows authenticated attackers with contributor-level permissions or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages generated by these widgets. When other users, including administrators or site visitors, access the compromised pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers. This can lead to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation), a common and critical web security issue. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, and privileges required but no user interaction needed. The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that exploitation affects resources beyond the vulnerable component. No public exploit code or active exploitation has been reported yet. The plugin is widely used in WordPress sites that rely on Elementor for event management and display, making this a significant risk for affected installations. The lack of a patch at the time of disclosure increases the urgency for mitigation.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-4669 is the compromise of confidentiality and integrity within affected WordPress sites. Attackers with contributor-level access can inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users, potentially including administrators. This can lead to theft of session cookies, enabling account takeover, unauthorized content modifications, or execution of arbitrary actions with elevated privileges. Although the vulnerability does not directly affect availability, the resulting compromise can lead to site defacement or further exploitation that may disrupt services. Organizations using the Events Addon for Elementor plugin are at risk of data breaches, loss of user trust, and reputational damage. Given WordPress's extensive use worldwide, especially among small to medium businesses, event organizers, and content creators, the scope of impact is broad. The requirement for authenticated access reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, as contributor-level accounts are common in collaborative environments. Without timely remediation, attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent footholds or pivot to other parts of the network.

To mitigate CVE-2024-4669, organizations should first check for and apply any official patches or updates from nicheaddons as soon as they become available. Until a patch is released, administrators should restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only and review existing contributor accounts for suspicious activity. Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block common XSS payloads can reduce exploitation risk. Site owners should also enable Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts. Regularly auditing and sanitizing user-generated content before publishing can help identify malicious inputs. Additionally, monitoring logs for unusual behavior or script injections in the affected widgets is recommended. Educating users about the risks of XSS and enforcing strong authentication and session management practices will further reduce potential damage. Finally, consider disabling or replacing the vulnerable widgets if they are not essential to site functionality until a secure version is available.