CVE-2024-4702 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79, found in the Mega Elements – Addons for Elementor WordPress plugin developed by kraftplugins. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.2.1. The root cause is insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-supplied input in the Button widget, which allows authenticated users with contributor-level or higher privileges to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages. Because the malicious script is stored persistently in the page content, it executes automatically whenever any user accesses the compromised page, potentially affecting administrators and visitors alike. The vulnerability requires authentication but no user interaction to trigger the script execution. The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.4 reflects a medium severity rating, with an attack vector over the network, low complexity, privileges required at the contributor level, no user interaction, and a scope change indicating that the vulnerability can affect components beyond the initially vulnerable plugin. The impact includes potential theft of cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information, as well as the possibility of performing actions on behalf of other users, leading to privilege escalation or site defacement. Currently, no public exploits have been reported, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be addressed promptly. The lack of an official patch at the time of disclosure necessitates interim mitigations such as restricting contributor access and monitoring for suspicious activity. This vulnerability is particularly relevant to websites using WordPress with Elementor and the Mega Elements addon, which are popular in many countries worldwide.

The impact of CVE-2024-4702 is significant for organizations running WordPress sites with the Mega Elements – Addons for Elementor plugin. An attacker with contributor-level access can inject persistent malicious scripts, which execute in the context of any user visiting the affected pages. This can lead to theft of authentication cookies, enabling session hijacking and unauthorized access. Additionally, attackers may perform actions on behalf of other users, potentially escalating privileges or defacing the website. The vulnerability undermines the confidentiality and integrity of the website and its users’ data. While availability is not directly impacted, the reputational damage and potential data breaches can have severe operational and financial consequences. Organizations relying on this plugin for critical web functionality face increased risk of targeted attacks, especially if contributor accounts are compromised or misused. The medium CVSS score reflects the need for timely remediation to prevent exploitation, particularly in environments with multiple contributors or less stringent access controls.

1. Immediately restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious input. 2. Monitor and audit contributor activity for unusual behavior or suspicious content submissions. 3. Until an official patch is released, consider disabling or removing the Mega Elements – Addons for Elementor plugin if feasible. 4. Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common XSS payloads targeting the Button widget parameters. 5. Educate content contributors about safe input practices and the risks of injecting untrusted content. 6. Once available, promptly apply official security updates from the plugin vendor. 7. Employ additional server-side input validation and output encoding mechanisms to sanitize user inputs beyond the plugin’s built-in controls. 8. Use Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts on the website. 9. Regularly back up website data and configurations to enable quick recovery in case of compromise. 10. Conduct periodic security assessments and penetration testing focusing on plugin vulnerabilities and user privilege management.