CVE-2025-3614

Executive Summary

CVE-2025-3614 is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the ElementsKit Elementor Addons and Templates plugin for WordPress. The flaw exists in all versions up to and including 3.5.2, where insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the URL attribute of a custom widget allow authenticated attackers with Contributor-level access or higher to inject arbitrary web scripts. These scripts execute whenever a victim user accesses the compromised page.

This vulnerability is classified as a WordPress ecosystem issue, specifically targeting the popular page builder plugin. The CVSS score of 6.4 (Medium) reflects the need for authentication but the potential for widespread impact due to the plugin's popularity. No public proof-of-concept (PoC) or exploit code has been released as of this report.

Supply Chain & Package Security

This vulnerability is not related to NPM, PyPI, Go, or Ruby packages. It is a WordPress plugin vulnerability, and the supply chain risk is limited to the plugin's update mechanism. Users should ensure they are using the latest version of the plugin from the official WordPress repository or the developer's site.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

• CVSS Score: 6.4 (Medium)
• Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
• Attack Vector (AV): Network - The vulnerability can be exploited remotely.
• Attack Complexity (AC): Low - No special conditions are required.
• Privileges Required (PR): Low - Requires Contributor-level access or higher.
• User Interaction (UI): None - The attacker does not need to trick a user into performing an action.
• Scope (S): Changed - The vulnerability can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component.
• Confidentiality (C): Low - Limited information disclosure is possible.
• Integrity (I): Low - Limited data modification is possible.
• Availability (A): None - No impact on availability.

Threat Level: Medium. While authentication is required, the widespread use of Elementor and the ability for contributors to inject scripts makes this a significant threat for multi-author WordPress sites.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability resides in a custom widget provided by the ElementsKit plugin. The widget accepts a URL attribute, which is not properly sanitized or escaped before being rendered on the page. This allows an authenticated user with Contributor-level access to insert malicious JavaScript code into the URL field.

When the page is saved and later viewed by another user (including administrators), the injected script executes in the context of the victim's browser. This can lead to session hijacking, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites.

The root cause is the lack of proper input validation and output escaping. The plugin likely uses esc_url() or similar functions incorrectly, or fails to escape the attribute in the HTML output.

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

The following is a hypothetical comparison based on the vulnerability description. The actual patch may vary.

Vulnerable Code (<= 3.5.2):

// In the widget's render method
$url = $settings['url'];
echo '<a href="' . $url . '">Link</a>';

Patched Code (Hypothetical):

// In the widget's render method
$url = esc_url( $settings['url'] );
echo '<a href="' . $url . '">Link</a>';

The vulnerable code directly outputs the user-supplied URL without sanitization. The patched code uses esc_url() to strip dangerous characters and ensure only safe URLs are rendered.

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team

Prerequisites:

• A WordPress site with the ElementsKit plugin version <= 3.5.2.
• An account with Contributor-level access or higher.

Exploitation Steps:

1. Log in to the WordPress admin panel.
2. Create a new page or edit an existing one using Elementor.
3. Add the vulnerable ElementsKit widget (e.g., a custom button or link widget).
4. In the URL attribute, enter a malicious payload such as:

   javascript:alert('XSS')
   

   or

   " onmouseover="alert('XSS')
   

5. Save and publish the page.
6. When any user (including administrators) visits the page, the script executes.

Note: No public exploit code is available. The above is a conceptual demonstration.

Blue Team

Detection:

• Monitor for unusual URL attributes in Elementor widgets.
• Look for pages created by Contributor-level users that contain suspicious JavaScript.
• Use the detection rules provided below.

Prevention:

• Update the ElementsKit plugin to the latest version as soon as a patch is released.
• Restrict Contributor-level access to trusted users only.
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to block XSS payloads.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

• File: wp-content/plugins/elementskit/ (check for modified files)
• Database: Look for posts/pages with post_content containing javascript: or on*= attributes in Elementor widget data.
• Network: HTTP requests to the WordPress site with suspicious URL parameters.
• Logs: WordPress debug logs showing errors related to the ElementsKit plugin.

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2025_3614_ElementsKit_XSS {
    meta:
        description = "Detects malicious URL attributes in ElementsKit plugin data"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
        reference = "CVE-2025-3614"
    strings:
        $xss1 = /href=["']javascript:/i
        $xss2 = /on\w+=["']/i
        $xss3 = /elementskit/i
    condition:
        all of ($xss1, $xss2, $xss3)
}

Sigma Rule

title: CVE-2025-3614 - Stored XSS via ElementsKit Widget
id: 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012
status: experimental
description: Detects stored XSS attempts via ElementsKit plugin URL attribute
author: Valters IT
date: 2025/04/10
logsource:
    category: webserver
    product: apache
detection:
    selection:
        cs-method: 'POST'
        cs-uri-query|contains: 'elementskit'
        cs-uri-query|contains|re: '(javascript:|on\w+=)'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use of JavaScript URLs in widgets (rare)
level: high

Suricata Rule

alert http any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2025-3614 - ElementsKit Stored XSS Attempt"; flow:to_server,established; content:"elementskit"; http_uri; pcre:"/(javascript:|on\w+=)/i"; classtype:web-application-attack; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

Immediate Actions:

1. Update the plugin: Check the WordPress plugin repository or the developer's site for a patched version. If available, update immediately.
2. Disable the plugin: If no patch is available, consider disabling the ElementsKit plugin until a fix is released.
3. Restrict user roles: Limit Contributor-level access to only trusted users. Consider using a plugin to restrict editing capabilities.

Long-term Mitigations:

• Implement a Content Security Policy (CSP) to mitigate XSS impact.
• Regularly audit user-created content for malicious scripts.
• Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with XSS detection rules.
• Keep all WordPress plugins and themes updated.

Patch Status: UNKNOWN / UNPATCHED. Monitor the official plugin repository for updates.

Valters IT