Source: audit@patchstack.com
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in WP Royal Royal Elementor Addons allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Royal Elementor Addons: from n/a through 1.3.987.
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Royal Elementor Addons plugin allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into websites, potentially leading to account compromise, data theft, and website defacement. This vulnerability, affecting versions up to 1.3.987, allows attackers to store malicious scripts within the website's database, which are then executed when other users view the affected pages.
Step 1: Payload Delivery: An attacker crafts a malicious JavaScript payload designed to execute arbitrary code within the victim's browser. This payload is specifically crafted to exploit the vulnerability in Royal Elementor Addons.
Step 2: Payload Injection: The attacker injects the malicious JavaScript payload into a field within the Royal Elementor Addons plugin. This could be a form field, a comment section, or any other area where user input is accepted and stored by the plugin.
Step 3: Payload Storage: The plugin, due to the lack of proper input sanitization, stores the attacker's malicious JavaScript payload within the website's database. The payload is stored without any modification or escaping.
Step 4: Victim Interaction: A legitimate user visits a page or section of the website where the injected payload is rendered by the plugin. This could be a page displaying user comments, a profile page, or any other area where the stored data is displayed.
Step 5: Payload Execution: When the victim's browser loads the page, the malicious JavaScript payload is executed in the context of the victim's browser. This allows the attacker to perform various actions, such as stealing cookies, redirecting the user to a malicious website, or defacing the website.
The vulnerability stems from improper input sanitization within the Royal Elementor Addons plugin, specifically during the handling of user-supplied data used in web page generation. The plugin fails to adequately neutralize or escape special characters within user input before storing it in the database and subsequently rendering it on the front-end. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript payloads, which are then executed in the context of the victim's browser when they view the compromised page. The root cause is a lack of proper input validation and output encoding (e.g., HTML escaping) of user-provided data, leading to a stored XSS vulnerability.
While no specific APTs are directly linked to this CVE, XSS vulnerabilities are commonly exploited by various threat actors, including those involved in credential harvesting, malware distribution, and website defacement. The ease of exploitation makes it a target for both sophisticated and less skilled attackers. CISA KEV status is unknown at this time, but likely to be considered for inclusion if actively exploited.
Monitor web server logs for suspicious HTTP requests containing JavaScript payloads (e.g., <script>, onerror, onload).
Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with XSS protection rules to detect and block malicious requests.
Analyze website traffic for unusual JavaScript behavior, such as redirects or the execution of unexpected scripts.
Use Content Security Policy (CSP) to restrict the sources from which the browser can load resources, mitigating the impact of XSS attacks.
Regularly scan the website for known vulnerabilities, including XSS.
Monitor database for unusual data entries that may contain malicious scripts.
Update the Royal Elementor Addons plugin to version 1.3.988 or later, which includes a fix for this vulnerability.
Implement robust input validation and output encoding (HTML escaping) to sanitize all user-supplied data before storing it in the database and rendering it on the front-end.
Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to filter out malicious requests.
Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) to restrict the sources from which the browser can load resources.
Regularly audit the website's code for XSS vulnerabilities.
Review and sanitize existing data within the database to remove any malicious scripts that may have been injected.