CVE-2024-5686 is a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified in the WPZOOM Addons for Elementor plugin, specifically within the Team Members widget's handling of the ‘url’ attribute. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output escaping, which allows authenticated users with Contributor-level permissions or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages. Because the injected script is stored persistently, it executes in the context of any user who visits the affected page, enabling attacks such as session hijacking, privilege escalation, or defacement. The vulnerability affects all plugin versions up to and including 1.1.38. The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.4 reflects a medium severity, with an attack vector over the network, low attack complexity, requiring privileges (Contributor or above), no user interaction, and scope change due to potential impact on other users. Although no public exploits are known, the vulnerability poses a significant risk in environments where multiple users have content editing rights. The issue highlights the importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding in web applications, especially in plugins that extend popular CMS platforms like WordPress. No official patches have been linked yet, so users must rely on interim mitigations. The vulnerability was published on June 20, 2024, and assigned by Wordfence.

The primary impact of this vulnerability is the potential for attackers with Contributor-level access to inject malicious scripts that execute in the browsers of other users visiting the compromised pages. This can lead to theft of authentication cookies, enabling session hijacking and unauthorized access. It may also allow attackers to perform actions on behalf of other users, deface websites, or distribute malware. Since the vulnerability requires authenticated access, the risk is higher in environments with multiple contributors or editors. The scope of impact extends beyond the initial attacker due to the stored nature of the XSS, affecting all visitors to the infected page. This can damage organizational reputation, lead to data breaches, and compromise user trust. The vulnerability does not affect availability directly but can indirectly cause service disruptions if exploited for defacement or malware distribution. Organizations relying on this plugin for public-facing websites or intranets are particularly at risk.

1. Immediately restrict Contributor-level permissions to trusted users only, minimizing the number of users who can inject content. 2. Implement strict input validation and output encoding on the ‘url’ attribute in the Team Members widget, either by applying custom filters or using security plugins that sanitize inputs. 3. Monitor WordPress user activity logs for unusual content changes or script injections. 4. Disable or remove the WPZOOM Addons for Elementor plugin temporarily if patching is not yet available and if the plugin is not critical. 5. Keep WordPress core and all plugins updated; watch for official patches from WPZOOM and apply them promptly once released. 6. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts. 7. Conduct regular security audits and penetration tests focusing on user-generated content areas. 8. Educate contributors about safe content practices and the risks of injecting untrusted code. 9. Use Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block XSS payloads targeting this plugin. 10. Backup website data regularly to enable quick recovery if exploitation occurs.