CVE-2024-9530 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) found in the Qi Addons For Elementor plugin for WordPress. This plugin is widely used to extend Elementor page builder functionality. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.8.0. It allows authenticated attackers with Contributor-level access or higher to access private templates that should be restricted, thereby exposing sensitive information contained within these templates. The root cause is insufficient access control enforcement on private template data, enabling unauthorized data extraction. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting low complexity of attack but limited impact confined to confidentiality. No integrity or availability impacts are reported. No public exploits are known at this time, but the vulnerability could be leveraged by insiders or compromised accounts to gather sensitive design or content data. The plugin is popular among WordPress sites globally, especially those using Elementor for site building, increasing the potential attack surface. The vulnerability highlights the importance of strict access control on content management systems and plugins that handle private or sensitive data.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-9530 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information stored in private templates within the Qi Addons For Elementor plugin. This can lead to leakage of proprietary design elements, confidential content, or other sensitive data embedded in templates. While the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the exposure of sensitive information can facilitate further attacks such as social engineering, targeted phishing, or intellectual property theft. Organizations relying on this plugin for website design and content management may face reputational damage and potential compliance issues if sensitive data is exposed. Since exploitation requires authenticated access at Contributor level or higher, the risk is elevated in environments where user privilege management is lax or where accounts may be compromised. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially in targeted attacks or insider threat scenarios.

To mitigate CVE-2024-9530, organizations should first update the Qi Addons For Elementor plugin to a version where this vulnerability is patched once available. Until a patch is released, administrators should enforce strict user privilege management, ensuring that only trusted users have Contributor-level or higher access. Implementing the principle of least privilege reduces the risk of exploitation. Additionally, review and restrict access to private templates and sensitive content within the WordPress environment. Monitoring user activity for unusual access patterns to templates can help detect exploitation attempts. Employing web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect abnormal requests targeting template data may provide additional protection. Regular security audits of plugins and user permissions are recommended to identify and remediate similar risks proactively.