CVE-2024-24934 - Path Traversal Vulnerability in Elementor Website Builder, versions up to 3.19.

A newly discovered Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory (also known as 'Path Traversal') vulnerability in the popular Elementor Website Builder can potentially give adversaries the ability to manipulate web input to file system calls. This security flaw, identified as CVE-2024-24934, affects Elementor Website Builder versions up to 3.19..

Vendor: Elementor

- Versions: n/a through 3.19.

CVE Summary

The vulnerability in the Elementor Website Builder was found in its file management functions, which enabled attackers to gain unauthorized access to the file system. Upon exploiting this vulnerability, adversaries can potentially exfiltrate sensitive information and launch further attacks on the compromised system.

Exploit Details

The directory traversal vulnerability allows an attacker to access files on a target system that resides outside of the intended restricted directory. The issue occurs when the application fails to validate user-input and sanitize file paths before processing file system calls. As a result, an attacker can manipulate client-side input fields to send malicious requests and navigate the target's file system.

Here's a code snippet that describes the vulnerability

def process_user_input(user_data):
    file_path = interpret_path(user_data['file_path'])

    if not is_path_within_allowed_dirs(file_path):
        raise ValueError("Invalid path")

    with open(file_path, 'r') as file:
        content = file.read()

    return content

def exploit_request(request):
    payload = {
        'file_path': '../../../sensitive_data.txt'
    }
    return process_user_input(payload)

attack_result = exploit_request(user_input)
print(attack_result)

In this example, the process_user_input function reads a file specified by the user input. However, the function does not properly limit the file path, enabling an attacker to replace the file_path provided by the user with the relative path of a sensitive file (e.g., ../../../sensitive_data.txt). This way, the attacker can bypass the intended limitation and gain access to arbitrary files on the system.

Here are some essential resources and official advisory links related to CVE-2024-24934

- CVE Record: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-24934
- Elementor Security Advisory: https://elementor.com/blog/elementor-security-advisory-apr-10-2024/
- NIST NVD Link: https://nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2024-24934

Remediation and Mitigation

Elementor has released an updated version (3.19.1) that fixes the Path Traversal vulnerability. Users are strongly encouraged to upgrade their Elementor Website Builder installations to the latest version and apply the security patch. Additionally, organizations should consistently monitor their web infrastructure for any unauthorized access attempts.

Conclusion

The Path Traversal vulnerability in Elementor Website Builder (CVE-2024-24934) is a serious security flaw that can enable attackers to manipulate web input to access restricted directories and compromise sensitive information. System administrators and website owners should prioritize updating their Elementor installations to version 3.19.1 or later to remediate the vulnerability. By staying vigilant and up-to-date with the latest patches, organizations can shield themselves against such threats and ensure a secure online environment.

Timeline

Published on: 05/17/2024 09:15:25 UTC
Last modified on: 05/17/2024 18:36:05 UTC