CVE-2024-44001
📋 TL;DR
This stored XSS vulnerability in the Royal Elementor Addons WordPress plugin allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages. When users view compromised pages, the scripts execute in their browsers, potentially stealing credentials or performing unauthorized actions. All WordPress sites using affected versions of this plugin are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Royal Elementor Addons and Templates WordPress Plugin
📦 What is this software?
Royal Elementor Addons by Royal Elementor Addons
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could steal administrator credentials, take over the WordPress site, deface content, or redirect visitors to malicious sites, potentially compromising the entire web server if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
Attackers inject malicious JavaScript to steal user session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users without their consent.
If Mitigated
With proper input validation and output encoding, malicious scripts would be neutralized before reaching users' browsers, preventing execution.
🎯 Exploit Status
XSS vulnerabilities are commonly exploited. While no public PoC is confirmed, stored XSS in WordPress plugins is frequently weaponized in automated attacks.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.3.983 or later
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'Royal Elementor Addons and Templates'. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available. 5. Alternatively, download version 1.3.983+ from WordPress.org and manually update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable plugin
allTemporarily disable the Royal Elementor Addons plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate royal-elementor-addons
Implement Content Security Policy
allAdd CSP headers to restrict script execution sources
Add to .htaccess: Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'"
Add to nginx config: add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'";
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with XSS protection rules
- Disable user input fields that could be vulnerable until patch is applied
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin > Plugins > Installed Plugins for Royal Elementor Addons version. If version is 1.3.982 or lower, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get royal-elementor-addons --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify the plugin version shows 1.3.983 or higher in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual POST requests to WordPress admin-ajax.php or admin-post.php with script tags in parameters
- Multiple failed login attempts following suspicious page views
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections to unknown domains following page loads
- Unexpected JavaScript execution in browser developer tools
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND ("admin-ajax.php" OR "admin-post.php") AND ("<script>" OR "javascript:" OR "onerror=" OR "onload=")