CVE-2018-20980 in ninja-forms Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The ninja-forms plugin before 3.2.15 for WordPress has parameter tampering.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-20980 affects the ninja-forms plugin for WordPress versions prior to 3.2.15, representing a significant security weakness that allows attackers to manipulate form parameters during submission processes. This issue falls under the category of parameter tampering, which is classified as CWE-295 in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, specifically addressing the manipulation of parameters that should remain unchanged during processing. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's handling of form data, where insufficient validation and sanitization permits unauthorized modification of critical parameters that control form behavior and data processing.
The technical flaw manifests when users submit forms through the ninja-forms plugin, as the application fails to properly validate or sanitize input parameters that are meant to remain static during the form submission lifecycle. Attackers can exploit this weakness by intercepting form submissions or by directly manipulating the parameters sent to the server, potentially altering form configurations, bypassing validation checks, or modifying data processing flows. This type of vulnerability creates a pathway for malicious actors to compromise the integrity of form data and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it can enable attackers to bypass security controls implemented within the form processing system. When exploited, parameter tampering can lead to unauthorized data access, data corruption, or even privilege escalation within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on ninja-forms for critical data collection processes, as it undermines the trustworthiness of submitted information and creates potential attack vectors for more sophisticated exploits. The issue demonstrates a fundamental breakdown in input validation and parameter handling, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for bypassing application security controls through parameter manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-20980 require immediate patching of the ninja-forms plugin to version 3.2.15 or later, which addresses the parameter validation shortcomings in the form processing logic. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including input validation at multiple layers, parameter sanitization, and monitoring for unusual form submission patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to detect and block suspicious parameter modifications. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes remain essential for identifying similar vulnerabilities in the broader plugin ecosystem, as this weakness exemplifies the common security pitfalls found in third-party WordPress components that may not undergo rigorous security testing before deployment.