CVE-2022-47170
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows authenticated administrators to inject malicious scripts into the Unlimited Elements for Elementor WordPress plugin. When other users view pages containing these injected scripts, the scripts execute in their browsers, potentially stealing credentials or performing unauthorized actions. Only WordPress sites using the affected plugin versions are impacted.
💻 Affected Systems
- Unlimited Elements for Elementor (Free Widgets, Addons, Templates)
📦 What is this software?
Unlimited Elements For Elementor by Unlimited Elements
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An attacker with admin access could inject persistent malicious scripts that steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform administrative actions on behalf of other users, potentially leading to complete site compromise.
Likely Case
An attacker who gains admin access (through other means) could inject scripts that steal user session data or perform limited unauthorized actions, but impact is constrained to users viewing affected pages.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls limiting admin privileges to trusted users only, the vulnerability has minimal impact as it requires admin authentication.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires admin authentication. The vulnerability is stored XSS, meaning injected scripts persist and affect multiple users.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.5.49 or later
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'Unlimited Elements for Elementor'. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available, or download version 1.5.49+ from WordPress repository. 5. Activate the updated plugin.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Remove Admin Privileges from Untrusted Users
allLimit admin access to only essential, trusted personnel to reduce attack surface.
Implement Content Security Policy (CSP)
allAdd CSP headers to restrict script execution sources and mitigate XSS impact.
Add to .htaccess: Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'"
Or configure in web server settings
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Temporarily disable the Unlimited Elements for Elementor plugin if not essential
- Implement strict input validation and output encoding for all user-controllable fields in the plugin
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin panel > Plugins > Installed Plugins for Unlimited Elements for Elementor version. If version is 1.5.48 or lower, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin list --name='unlimited-elements-for-elementor' --field=version (if WP-CLI installed)Verify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify the plugin version shows 1.5.49 or higher in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual admin activity followed by modifications to plugin settings or content
- Multiple failed admin login attempts preceding successful login
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound connections from WordPress site to external domains
- Suspicious JavaScript payloads in HTTP requests to admin endpoints
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND ("admin" AND "unlimited elements" AND ("update" OR "save" OR "edit"))🔗 References
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/unlimited-elements-for-elementor/wordpress-unlimited-elements-for-elementor-plugin-1-5-48-cross-site-scripting-xss?_s_id=cve
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/unlimited-elements-for-elementor/wordpress-unlimited-elements-for-elementor-plugin-1-5-48-cross-site-scripting-xss?_s_id=cve
