Recently, a critical vulnerability, assigned the identifier CVE-2024-10873, has been discovered in the popular LA-Studio Element Kit for Elementor plugin for WordPress. This post aims to raise awareness among users and explain the problem, its impacts, and the remediation steps required.
Details
According to the official CVE database, the LA-Studio Element Kit for Elementor is susceptible to a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in all its versions up to and including 1.4.2. The vulnerability can be exploited through the _load_template function. Authenticated attackers, having Contributor-level access (or above), can leverage this flaw to inject and run arbitrary files on the server. This includes executing PHP code in files considered "safe," such as images. Such an attack can be utilized to bypass access controls, acquire sensitive information, or attain code execution in certain scenarios where valid files can be uploaded and included.
The vulnerable code snippet is as follows
function _load_template( $filename = '' ) {
if ( empty( $filename ) ) {
$template_file = self::get_template( $this->_get_default_template() );
} else {
$template_file = self::get_template( $filename );
}
if ( ! file_exists( $template_file ) ) {
_doing_it_wrong( __FUNCTION__, sprintf( '<code>%s</code> does not exist.', $template_file ), '1.1.180' );
return;
}
include( $template_file );
}
Using the above code snippet, a Contributor-level user (or higher) can inject an arbitrary file by manipulating the $filename parameter.
It is important to note that exploit might not work seamlessly on every WordPress installation. Factors such as the server's access controls, file permissions, operating system, and Apache/nginx settings, might influence its success.
Mitigation and Remediation
The developers of the LA-Studio Element Kit for Elementor plugin have released a security fix in version 1.4.3. The update addresses the Local File Inclusion vulnerability. As a result, it is highly recommended to update to the latest version.
Conclusion
The CVE-2024-10873 vulnerability in the LA-Studio Element Kit for Elementor poses a significant risk to WordPress websites using this plugin without the latest security updates. As always, maintaining vigilance and good security hygiene is essential to protect your site from cyber-attacks.
Websites can mitigate the risk by updating the plugin to the latest version and restricting access to trusted users. Maintaining regular security updates is essential for all components in the WordPress ecosystem, including themes and plugins, to avoid similar vulnerabilities in the future.
Original References
- CVE-2024-10873
- LA-Studio Element Kit for Elementor - Official Website
Timeline
Published on: 11/23/2024 04:32:19 UTC