Introduction
A critical cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability [1] [2] [3] [4], identified as CVE-2025-24752 [1] [2] [3] [4], has been discovered in the Essential Addons for Elementor plugin, potentially impacting over two million WordPress websites [1] [2] [3]. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper data validation and sanitization in web development to prevent security breaches.
Description
A critical reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability [1] [2] [3] [4], tracked as CVE-2025-24752 [1] [2] [3] [4], has been identified in Essential Addons for Elementor [1] [2] [3], potentially affecting over two million WordPress websites [1] [2] [3]. This vulnerability arises from insufficient validation of the popup-selector query argument in the src/js/view/general.js file [1] [2] [3], where the function processes the argument on page load [4]. The plugin fails to properly sanitize the popup-selector argument [3], allowing attackers to embed harmful content into the page and execute malicious scripts.
The issue was discovered by Patchstack Alliance researcher xssium on September 30, 2024 [1] [2] [3]. Following the notification to the plugin vendor [2], WPDeveloper implemented a fix in version 6.0.15, which enforced stricter validation on the popup-selector variable [1], permitting only alphanumeric characters and a limited set of symbols [1] [3] [4]. This measure effectively mitigates common XSS attack methods and underscores the importance of validating and sanitizing user-provided data to prevent potential security risks, including unauthorized access and data breaches [1] [3]. Developers are reminded of the necessity to properly escape content when rendering user-provided data on websites to safeguard against such vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The discovery and subsequent patching of the CVE-2025-24752 vulnerability in the Essential Addons for Elementor plugin serve as a critical reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance in web security practices. By implementing stricter validation measures [3], WPDeveloper has mitigated the risk of XSS attacks, protecting millions of websites from potential exploitation. This incident underscores the imperative for developers to consistently validate and sanitize user inputs, ensuring robust defenses against unauthorized access and data breaches in the future.
References
[1] https://osintcorp.net/essential-addons-for-elementor-xss-vulnerability-discovered/
[2] https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/elementor-plugin-vulnerability-2m/
[3] https://ciso2ciso.com/essential-addons-for-elementor-xss-vulnerability-discovered-source-www-infosecurity-magazine-com/
[4] https://patchstack.com/articles/reflected-xss-patched-in-essential-addons-for-elementor-affecting-2-million-sites/
