CVE-2024-5344 is a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability identified in The Plus Addons for Elementor Page Builder plugin for WordPress, specifically within the WP Login & Register widget's 'forgoturl' attribute. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of user-supplied input, where the plugin fails to adequately sanitize and escape the 'forgoturl' parameter before rendering it on web pages. This flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into URLs that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, execute in their browsers within the context of the vulnerable website. The attack vector is remote and requires no privileges, but successful exploitation depends on social engineering to trick users into clicking crafted links. The vulnerability affects all plugin versions up to and including 5.5.6. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.1, reflecting medium severity, with the vector string indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), user interaction required (UI:R), scope changed (S:C), and impacts on confidentiality and integrity (C:L/I:L) but no impact on availability (A:N). While no public exploits are currently known, the widespread use of Elementor and its addons in WordPress sites makes this a notable risk. The vulnerability could be leveraged to steal session cookies, perform phishing, or execute other malicious client-side actions, potentially compromising user accounts and site integrity.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-5344 is on the confidentiality and integrity of user data and sessions on affected WordPress sites using The Plus Addons for Elementor Page Builder plugin. Successful exploitation can lead to theft of authentication cookies, enabling session hijacking and unauthorized access to user accounts. Attackers may also perform phishing attacks by injecting deceptive content or redirect users to malicious sites. Although availability is not directly affected, the reputational damage and potential data breaches can have significant operational and financial consequences. Organizations relying on this plugin for login and registration functionality face increased risk of compromise, especially if they have high-value user accounts or sensitive data. The vulnerability's requirement for user interaction limits automated exploitation but does not eliminate risk, as phishing campaigns can effectively induce clicks. Given the extensive use of WordPress globally, the threat surface is large, and unpatched sites remain vulnerable to targeted or opportunistic attacks.

To mitigate CVE-2024-5344, organizations should immediately update The Plus Addons for Elementor Page Builder plugin to the latest version once a patch is released. In the absence of an official patch, administrators can implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious requests containing malicious scripts in the 'forgoturl' parameter. Input validation and output encoding should be enforced at the application level if custom modifications are possible. Site owners should also educate users about the risks of clicking unsolicited links and implement multi-factor authentication to reduce the impact of session hijacking. Monitoring web server logs for unusual query parameters and user agent strings can help detect exploitation attempts. Additionally, disabling or restricting the use of the vulnerable widget until patched can reduce exposure. Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues proactively.