CVE-2024-12239 Overview
CVE-2024-12239 is a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the PowerPack Lite for Beaver Builder plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 1.3.0.5. It stems from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the navigate parameter used in the plugin's admin settings templates. Unauthenticated attackers can inject arbitrary JavaScript that executes in an administrator's browser session when the target is tricked into clicking a crafted link. The issue is classified under [CWE-79] Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation enables script execution in the context of an authenticated WordPress administrator, potentially leading to account takeover, content manipulation, or backdoor installation.
Affected Products
- Ideabox PowerPack Lite for Beaver Builder plugin for WordPress
- All versions up to and including 1.3.0.5
- WordPress sites with the vulnerable plugin activated
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-12-17 - CVE-2024-12239 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-12239
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the plugin's admin settings template code, specifically in includes/admin-settings-templates.php. The navigate request parameter is echoed into rendered HTML without proper sanitization or output escaping. An attacker who crafts a URL containing malicious JavaScript in the navigate parameter can cause that script to execute in the browser of any administrator who clicks the link.
Because the payload is delivered through the URL and reflected back in the response, this is a classic reflected XSS pattern. The CVSS scope is marked as changed, indicating the injected script can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component, such as other cookies or WordPress admin functionality accessible within the same origin.
Root Cause
The root cause is a missing sanitization call on user-controllable input before it is written into the DOM. WordPress provides helper functions such as esc_attr(), esc_html(), and sanitize_text_field() for this purpose, but the vulnerable code path outputs the navigate parameter directly. See the WordPress Plugin Code Inspection for the affected source line.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires no authentication and no prior access to the target site. The attacker crafts a URL to the vulnerable admin endpoint with a malicious payload in the navigate query parameter and delivers it via phishing, forum posts, or malicious advertising. When a logged-in administrator visits the link, the payload runs in their session and can perform any action the administrator can perform, including creating new admin users, modifying plugin settings, or injecting persistent malicious content.
Refer to the Wordfence Vulnerability Analysis for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-12239
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to WordPress admin pages containing navigate= parameters with URL-encoded HTML tags such as %3Cscript%3E, onerror=, or javascript: schemes.
- Unexpected creation of WordPress administrator accounts or modifications to wp_options immediately after an admin session.
- Referrer logs showing administrators arriving at admin URLs from external, untrusted origins.
Detection Strategies
- Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules that block requests with script-like content in the navigate parameter targeting the PowerPack plugin endpoints.
- Monitor WordPress access logs for anomalous query strings on /wp-admin/ paths tied to the powerpack-addon-for-beaver-builder plugin.
- Correlate outbound requests from administrator browsers with suspicious inbound URLs delivered through email or messaging platforms.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose access logging on all WordPress admin endpoints and forward logs to a centralized analytics platform.
- Alert on newly created WordPress users with the administrator role outside of change windows.
- Track plugin version inventories across managed WordPress installations to identify hosts still running PowerPack Lite 1.3.0.5 or earlier.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-12239
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress sites running the PowerPack Lite for Beaver Builder plugin and confirm the installed version.
- Update the plugin to a version later than 1.3.0.5 as soon as a fixed release is available from Ideabox.
- If a fix is not yet published, deactivate and remove the plugin from production sites.
- Rotate credentials and review recent administrator activity on any site where exploitation is suspected.
Patch Information
At the time of publication, no vendor advisory URL is available in the NVD record. Administrators should monitor the Ideabox plugin repository and the Wordfence advisory for the fixed release version.
Workarounds
- Deploy a WAF rule that strips or blocks HTML metacharacters in the navigate query parameter for WordPress admin URLs.
- Restrict access to /wp-admin/ by source IP address or through a VPN to limit exposure to phishing-delivered links.
- Train administrators to avoid clicking WordPress admin links received from untrusted sources and to log out of admin sessions when not in active use.
- Enforce Content Security Policy (CSP) headers that disallow inline script execution in the WordPress admin interface where feasible.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
