CVE-2023-2300 in Contact Form Builder Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/03/2023
The Contact Form Builder by vcita plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'email' parameter in versions up to, and including, 4.9.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with the edit_posts capability, such as contributors and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2026
The Contact Form Builder by vcita plugin for WordPress represents a critical security vulnerability classified as CVE-2023-2300, which manifests as a stored cross-site scripting flaw affecting versions through 4.9.1. This vulnerability resides within the plugin's handling of the 'email' parameter, demonstrating a fundamental failure in input validation and output sanitization mechanisms. The flaw operates at the intersection of web application security principles and content management system vulnerabilities, where user-supplied data is not properly filtered before being stored and subsequently executed in web pages. The vulnerability specifically targets authenticated users who possess the edit_posts capability, which includes roles such as contributors and higher, making it particularly concerning for WordPress environments where multiple user roles exist with varying levels of access.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a stored XSS vector where malicious scripts are injected into the email parameter of contact form submissions. When administrators or other authorized users view the affected contact form entries, the stored malicious code executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This represents a classic stored XSS attack pattern where the payload persists in the database and executes whenever the compromised data is rendered in web pages. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires only minimal privileges to exploit, as contributors and above can manipulate the form data that gets stored in the WordPress database. This makes the attack surface particularly broad within typical WordPress installations where content creators and editors often have these permissions.
The operational implications of CVE-2023-2300 extend beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to establish persistent footholds within WordPress environments. The vulnerability can be leveraged to perform various malicious activities including cookie theft, defacement of content, or redirection to phishing sites that can harvest user credentials. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and persistence mechanisms, where attackers can use the XSS to establish more sophisticated attack vectors. The flaw also represents a failure in the principle of least privilege, as it allows users with relatively low-level permissions to execute code with higher privileges when the stored data is rendered. The impact is particularly severe in enterprise WordPress installations where the contact form plugin is widely used and where the attack can potentially compromise multiple users who access the affected form data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-2300 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the stored XSS vulnerability, as this represents the most direct solution to the identified flaw. Administrators should implement strict input validation and output escaping mechanisms for all user-supplied data, particularly email addresses and form fields that are rendered in web contexts. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution in web pages. Regular security audits and penetration testing of WordPress installations should include verification of plugin security, particularly for plugins with database storage capabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing role-based access controls that limit the ability of lower-privilege users to inject potentially malicious data into systems that are later viewed by higher-privileged users. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper sanitization practices and adherence to security standards such as those defined in CWE-79 for cross-site scripting prevention.