CVE-2021-24261 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Discover the details of CVE-2021-24261, a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in HT Mega - Absolute Addons for Elementor Page Builder WordPress Plugin < 1.5.7, allowing lower-privileged users to inject malicious scripts.
A stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability has been identified in the HT Mega - Absolute Addons for Elementor Page Builder WordPress Plugin before version 1.5.7. This vulnerability allows lower-privileged users like contributors to inject malicious scripts.
Understanding CVE-2021-24261
This CVE involves a security issue in the HT Mega - Absolute Addons for Elementor Page Builder WordPress Plugin that exposes websites to stored XSS attacks by certain user roles.
What is CVE-2021-24261?
The HT Mega - Absolute Addons for Elementor Page Builder WordPress Plugin prior to 1.5.7 contains widgets that are susceptible to stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities, potentially abused by contributors and similar roles.
The Impact of CVE-2021-24261
The vulnerability could allow an attacker to inject malicious scripts into a website, leading to various consequences like account takeover, defacement, or data theft.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-24261
This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability, including the description, affected systems, versions, and the exploitation mechanism.
Vulnerability Description
The flaw enables lower-privileged users to insert harmful scripts through specific widgets, exploiting the XSS vulnerability.
Affected Systems and Versions
HT Mega - Absolute Addons for Elementor Page Builder versions prior to 1.5.7 are impacted by this vulnerability, making websites using these versions at risk.
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers with contributor access or higher can exploit the vulnerable widgets to execute XSS attacks, potentially compromising the website and its visitors.
Mitigation and Prevention
Protect your website by understanding the immediate steps to take and adopting long-term security practices, including timely patching and updates.
Immediate Steps to Take
Website owners should update the HT Mega - Absolute Addons for Elementor Page Builder plugin to version 1.5.7 or newer to mitigate the risk of XSS attacks.
Long-Term Security Practices
Employ strict user role management, conduct regular security audits, and educate users to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.
Patching and Updates
Stay informed about security patches released by the plugin vendor to address vulnerabilities promptly.