CVE-2026-49053 Overview
CVE-2026-49053 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the Wpmet ElementsKit Elementor addons Lite WordPress plugin. The flaw stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels, classified under [CWE-862]. Unauthenticated attackers can reach functionality that should require authorization, leading to limited disclosure of information served by the plugin. The issue affects all versions of ElementsKit Elementor addons Lite from initial release through 3.9.6. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network without user interaction or prior privileges.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated network attackers can bypass access controls in ElementsKit Lite versions up to 3.9.6, exposing data handled by protected plugin endpoints.
Affected Products
- Wpmet ElementsKit Elementor addons Lite versions up to and including 3.9.6
- WordPress sites running the ElementsKit Lite plugin with default configuration
- Sites using ElementsKit Lite endpoints without supplementary authorization controls
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-05-27 - CVE-2026-49053 published to NVD
- 2026-05-27 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-49053
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a broken access control issue in ElementsKit Elementor addons Lite. One or more plugin handlers fail to verify the caller's authorization before executing privileged logic. An attacker reaches these handlers through standard WordPress AJAX or REST routes exposed by the plugin. Because the check is missing rather than weak, no credential or session manipulation is required.
The impact is limited to confidentiality. Successful exploitation discloses information processed by the affected endpoints. Integrity and availability are not directly affected based on the published CVSS vector. The flaw is tracked as a Missing Authorization weakness [CWE-862] and is documented in the Patchstack Vulnerability Report.
Root Cause
The plugin registers callbacks that perform sensitive operations without invoking current_user_can() capability checks or equivalent permission callbacks on REST routes. Authorization decisions rely on incorrectly configured access control security levels, which permit unauthenticated requests to reach protected logic.
Attack Vector
An attacker sends crafted HTTP requests to a publicly reachable WordPress site running ElementsKit Lite 3.9.6 or earlier. The requests target plugin-registered AJAX actions or REST endpoints that lack authorization enforcement. The server processes the request and returns data that should be restricted. No authentication, user interaction, or local access is required.
No verified public exploit code is available at the time of publication. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for vendor-confirmed technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-49053
Indicators of Compromise
- Unauthenticated HTTP requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php referencing ElementsKit action names
- Unauthenticated GET or POST requests to ElementsKit REST routes under /wp-json/elementskit/
- Anomalous response sizes from plugin endpoints accessed without a logged-in session cookie
Detection Strategies
- Inventory WordPress installations and flag any running ElementsKit Elementor addons Lite at version 3.9.6 or earlier.
- Review web server access logs for requests to ElementsKit AJAX or REST endpoints lacking a valid wordpress_logged_in_* cookie.
- Correlate plugin endpoint access with the absence of an authenticated WordPress session in upstream proxy logs.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress audit logging to record plugin endpoint invocations and the associated user context.
- Forward web server and WAF logs to a centralized analytics platform for retrospective hunting against ElementsKit URI patterns.
- Alert on spikes of 4xx-free responses to plugin endpoints originating from a single source IP without authentication.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-49053
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress sites running ElementsKit Elementor addons Lite version 3.9.6 or earlier.
- Update the plugin to the patched release published by Wpmet as referenced in the Patchstack advisory.
- Restrict access to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php and /wp-json/ from untrusted networks where feasible.
Patch Information
Wpmet has addressed the issue in a release subsequent to ElementsKit Elementor addons Lite 3.9.6. Administrators should consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the fixed version and apply the update through the WordPress plugin manager.
Workarounds
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall rule that blocks unauthenticated requests to ElementsKit AJAX actions and REST routes.
- Disable the ElementsKit Elementor addons Lite plugin until the patched version can be installed.
- Limit access to the WordPress admin and REST API surfaces with IP allowlisting at the reverse proxy.
# Example: temporarily deactivate the plugin via WP-CLI until patched
wp plugin deactivate elementskit-lite
wp plugin status elementskit-lite
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
