CVE-2024-3668
📋 TL;DR
The PowerPack Pro for Elementor WordPress plugin allows authenticated attackers with contributor-level access or higher to escalate privileges to administrator. Attackers can create registration forms with administrator as the default role and register themselves as administrators. All WordPress sites using PowerPack Pro for Elementor up to version 2.10.17 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- PowerPack Pro for Elementor WordPress Plugin
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete site takeover where attackers gain full administrative control, can install malicious plugins/themes, steal sensitive data, deface the site, or establish persistent backdoors.
Likely Case
Attackers with existing low-privilege accounts (contributors, authors, editors) elevate to administrators and compromise the WordPress installation.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and monitoring, privilege escalation attempts are detected and blocked before successful exploitation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access but is straightforward once an attacker has contributor or higher privileges.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.10.18 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://powerpackelements.com/change-logs/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins. 3. Find PowerPack Pro for Elementor. 4. Click 'Update Now' if update is available. 5. Alternatively, download version 2.10.18+ from vendor and manually update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable User Registration Forms
allTemporarily disable or remove any PowerPack Pro registration forms from your site until patched.
Restrict Contributor Access
allReview and remove contributor-level access from untrusted users until the plugin is updated.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable or uninstall PowerPack Pro for Elementor plugin completely
- Implement strict user access controls and monitor for suspicious user role changes
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin → Plugins → Installed Plugins → PowerPack Pro for Elementor version. If version is 2.10.17 or lower, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin list --name='PowerPack Pro for Elementor' --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify PowerPack Pro for Elementor version is 2.10.18 or higher in WordPress plugins list.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected user role changes from low to high privileges
- Multiple user registration attempts
- PowerPack Pro form creation/modification logs
Network Indicators:
- POST requests to PowerPack Pro registration endpoints with role parameters
SIEM Query:
SELECT * FROM wordpress_logs WHERE event_type IN ('user_role_change', 'plugin_form_submission') AND plugin_name='PowerPack Pro'