CVE-2024-37455
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to escalate privileges in WordPress sites using the Ultimate Addons for Elementor plugin. Attackers can gain administrative access without proper authorization, affecting all WordPress installations with vulnerable plugin versions.
💻 Affected Systems
- Ultimate Addons 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 backdoors, modify content, steal data, or use the site for further attacks.
Likely Case
Attackers gain administrative access to compromise the WordPress site, potentially defacing it, stealing sensitive data, or installing malicious plugins/themes.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper access controls, monitoring, and least privilege principles are already implemented, though the vulnerability still exists.
🎯 Exploit Status
Privilege escalation vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins are commonly exploited. Requires some level of access to initiate.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.36.32 or later
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins. 3. Find Ultimate Addons for Elementor. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available. 5. Alternatively, download version 1.36.32+ from WordPress.org and manually update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Plugin
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate ultimate-elementor
Restrict Access
allImplement IP whitelisting for WordPress admin area
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls and monitoring for WordPress admin functions
- Deploy web application firewall rules to detect privilege escalation attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check plugin version in WordPress admin under Plugins → Installed PluginsCheck Version:
wp plugin get ultimate-elementor --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify plugin version is 1.36.32 or higher after update📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual user role changes in WordPress logs
- Multiple failed login attempts followed by successful admin login from same IP
- Plugin file modifications
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to admin-ajax.php or wp-admin with unusual parameters
- Requests attempting to modify user capabilities
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND ("user_role_changed" OR "capabilities_modified" OR "admin_privilege")🔗 References
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/ultimate-elementor/wordpress-ultimate-addons-for-elementor-plugin-1-36-31-privilege-escalation-vulnerability?_s_id=cve
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/ultimate-elementor/wordpress-ultimate-addons-for-elementor-plugin-1-36-31-privilege-escalation-vulnerability?_s_id=cve
