CVE-2020-10385 in WPForms Contact Form
Summary
by MITRE
A stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in the WPForms Contact Form (aka wpforms-lite) plugin before 1.5.9 for WordPress.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2025
The CVE-2020-10385 vulnerability represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the WPForms Contact Form plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.5.9. This vulnerability resides in the plugin's handling of user input within contact form submissions, creating a persistent security risk that can affect millions of WordPress websites worldwide. The issue stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's database and execute whenever the affected content is rendered to unsuspecting users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates as a stored XSS attack, meaning the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server rather than being executed through a single request, making it more persistent and harder to detect.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload within a contact form submission that contains JavaScript code or other malicious scripts. When the form data is processed and stored in the WordPress database, the malicious code is not properly sanitized or escaped, allowing it to be executed in the context of any user who views the stored form submissions. This typically happens when administrators or other users access the form entries through the WordPress admin interface or when the form data is displayed on public pages. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for Exploit Public-Facing Application, where attackers target web applications to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious code.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-10385 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially steal administrator sessions, modify form submissions, redirect users to malicious websites, or even install backdoors on the compromised WordPress site. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that even if the initial attack vector is patched, the malicious code remains persistent in the database, requiring manual cleanup or database restoration. This vulnerability affects WordPress sites using the WPForms plugin, which is widely adopted across various industries, making it an attractive target for automated attacks and increasing the potential impact of exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-10385 primarily involve immediate plugin updates to version 1.5.9 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. System administrators should also implement additional security measures such as input validation on form submissions, regular security audits of form data, and monitoring for suspicious activity in form submissions. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper security practices in web application development, particularly around input handling and output escaping, which are fundamental requirements in secure coding standards. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and establish regular patch management procedures to ensure all plugins and themes remain up to date with the latest security fixes. Additionally, implementing content security policies can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed on the website.