CVE-2024-6757 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) found in the Elementor Website Builder plugin for WordPress, a widely used tool for building and managing website content. The flaw exists in the get_image_alt function, which improperly exposes data related to private or password-protected posts. Specifically, authenticated users with at least Contributor-level privileges can exploit this vulnerability to retrieve excerpts or titles of restricted posts that should otherwise remain confidential. This occurs because the function does not adequately enforce access controls when processing requests for image alt text, inadvertently leaking sensitive metadata. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 3.23.5, with no patch currently linked in the provided data. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, indicating a medium severity level, with the vector showing network attack vector, low attack complexity, required privileges at the low level (Contributor), no user interaction, and limited confidentiality impact. The vulnerability does not impact integrity or availability. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The issue was reserved in mid-July 2024 and published in October 2024 by Wordfence. Given Elementor's popularity among WordPress users, this vulnerability presents a risk of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive content to users who should not have access to it, potentially leading to privacy violations or information leakage.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-6757 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, specifically excerpts and titles of private or password-protected posts within WordPress sites using the Elementor plugin. This can lead to privacy breaches, exposure of confidential business or personal information, and potential reputational damage. While the vulnerability does not allow modification or deletion of content, the leakage of metadata can aid attackers in reconnaissance or social engineering attacks. Organizations relying on Elementor for content management, especially those hosting sensitive or proprietary information, are at risk. The requirement for authenticated access at Contributor level limits the scope somewhat, but in environments where user accounts are shared or where Contributor roles are granted liberally, the risk increases. Since the vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network without user interaction, it can be leveraged by malicious insiders or compromised accounts to harvest sensitive data at scale. No availability or integrity impacts reduce the risk of service disruption or data tampering, but confidentiality loss alone can have significant consequences depending on the nature of the exposed content.

To mitigate CVE-2024-6757, organizations should first check for and apply any official patches or updates released by Elementor addressing this vulnerability. If no patch is available, administrators should consider temporarily restricting Contributor-level permissions or auditing user roles to ensure only trusted users have such access. Implementing strict access control policies and monitoring Contributor activities can reduce exploitation risk. Additionally, disabling or limiting the use of the get_image_alt function or related features that expose metadata in private or password-protected posts may help. Employing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting this function can provide a layer of defense. Regularly reviewing WordPress plugin security advisories and maintaining an inventory of installed plugins will aid in timely response to similar vulnerabilities. Finally, educating site administrators and users about the risks of over-permissioning and enforcing the principle of least privilege will minimize potential attack vectors.