Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A WordPress plugin used with Elementor allowed logged-in users with Contributor or higher access to store malicious scripts in page content. Those scripts could run when someone views the affected page. This is not a server takeover by itself, but it can support account abuse, content tampering, and user-session theft risks.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate-priority web risk. It is less urgent than unauthenticated remote code execution, but shared WordPress authoring environments should patch promptly because low-privileged accounts can affect visitors and administrators through stored browser-side code.
Technical view
CVE-2023-7044 is stored cross-site scripting in Essential Addons for Elementor through the custom ID handling path. Versions up to and including 5.9.2 lacked sufficient input sanitization and output escaping. The CVSS 3.1 score is 6.4 with low privilege required, network attack vector, changed scope, and low confidentiality and integrity impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on WordPress sites running Essential Addons for Elementor at version 5.9.2 or earlier, especially where Contributor, Author, Editor, or Administrator accounts are broadly assigned or compromised.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. Exploitation requires authenticated access with Contributor-level privileges or higher, then relies on stored script execution when an injected page is visited.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports CWE-79 stored XSS tied to custom ID processing and fixed-code references in WordPress plugin Trac. The bundle does not provide proof of exploitation, exploit maturity, or an exact patched release number, so avoid claims beyond versions up to 5.9.2 being affected.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Essential Addons for Elementor to a release newer than 5.9.2 per vendor guidance.
- Restrict Contributor and higher roles to trusted users only.
- Remove inactive or unnecessary WordPress accounts with content permissions.
- Review affected Elementor content for unexpected custom IDs or embedded scripts.
- Monitor WordPress admin activity for suspicious content edits.
Validation and detection
- Inventory WordPress sites using Essential Addons for Elementor.
- Confirm installed plugin versions are newer than 5.9.2.
- Review users with Contributor, Author, Editor, or Administrator roles.
- Inspect recently edited Elementor pages for unexpected script-like content.
- Verify vendor or WordPress.org guidance matches the deployed fixed release.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2023-7044 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N3.12.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/6e770e98-3c13-4e37-b51b-4c39bce2cb42?source=cveCVE reference
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/essential-addons-for-elementor-lite/trunk/includes/Extensions/Wrapper_Link.php#L65CVE reference
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3013774/essential-addons-for-elementor-lite/trunk/includes/Extensions/Wrapper_Link.phpCVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.