CVE-2023-38386 in Ninja Forms Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/19/2024
Missing Authorization vulnerability in Saturday Drive Ninja Forms.This issue affects Ninja Forms: from n/a through 3.6.25.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-38386 represents a critical missing authorization flaw within the Saturday Drive Ninja Forms plugin, a widely used form building solution for wordpress platforms. This weakness allows unauthorized users to bypass intended access controls and perform actions they should not be permitted to execute. The vulnerability impacts all versions of Ninja Forms from the initial release through version 3.6.25, indicating a prolonged window of exposure where systems remained susceptible to exploitation. The missing authorization issue fundamentally undermines the plugin's security model by failing to properly validate user permissions before executing sensitive operations. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-863 category of Incorrect Authorization, which specifically addresses situations where the system fails to properly enforce access controls. The vulnerability's presence in a form management plugin is particularly concerning as it could enable attackers to manipulate form submissions, access sensitive data, modify form configurations, or potentially escalate privileges within the wordpress environment.
The technical implementation of this authorization flaw likely occurs within the plugin's request handling mechanisms where proper user authentication and permission checks are either absent or improperly enforced. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could potentially access administrative functions, modify form data, or manipulate the plugin's core functionality without proper authorization. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure as this weakness could serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks within the wordpress ecosystem. According to ATT&CK framework category TA0001, this vulnerability enables privilege escalation and lateral movement within the target environment. The vulnerability's scope is particularly dangerous because wordpress forms often contain sensitive user information, making unauthorized access to form data a significant security concern. The missing authorization allows attackers to perform actions such as viewing form submissions, modifying form fields, or potentially accessing user credentials stored within form data. This issue demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in web applications and highlights how seemingly minor authorization oversights can create substantial security risks.
Organizations using affected versions of Ninja Forms should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to the latest version of the plugin where the authorization flaw has been patched and properly addressed. Security administrators should also conduct comprehensive audits of their wordpress installations to identify any potential exploitation attempts or unauthorized modifications. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect anomalous access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper role-based access controls within the wordpress environment can help minimize the impact of such vulnerabilities. The vulnerability underscores the importance of regular security assessments and patch management processes, as it remained unaddressed for an extended period across multiple versions. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to provide additional protection layers against exploitation attempts. The security community should treat this vulnerability as a high-priority issue requiring immediate attention, particularly in environments where wordpress forms process sensitive information or where the plugin is used in mission-critical applications. Proper logging and monitoring configurations should be established to detect unauthorized access attempts and ensure rapid incident response capabilities.