CVE-2024-10402 in Forminator Forms Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2024
The Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access due to a missing capability check on a function in all versions up to, and including, 1.35.1. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, and permissions granted by an Administrator, to create new or edit existing forms, including updating the default registration role to Administrator on User Registration forms.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-10402 affects the Forminator Forms plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting versions up to and including 1.35.1. This represents a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security model of WordPress sites relying on this plugin. The issue stems from a missing capability check within a core function, creating a privilege escalation vector that allows attackers with Contributor-level access or higher to bypass intended security controls. The vulnerability impacts the plugin's form management capabilities and exposes sensitive administrative functions to unauthorized users who should not possess such privileges.
The technical flaw manifests as an insufficient access control mechanism within the plugin's codebase where a function lacks proper capability verification before executing sensitive operations. This missing capability check creates a pathway for authenticated attackers to perform actions that should be restricted to users with higher privileges. The vulnerability specifically affects form creation and modification operations, including the ability to alter user registration form configurations. When attackers exploit this flaw, they can modify the default registration role assigned to new users, potentially elevating privileges from standard user roles to administrator levels within the WordPress environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized form modifications to encompass potential privilege escalation and lateral movement within affected WordPress installations. Attackers with Contributor-level access can leverage this vulnerability to create malicious forms that could harvest user credentials, collect sensitive data, or manipulate user registration processes. The ability to change default registration roles to Administrator presents a severe risk as it allows attackers to establish persistent access to the WordPress administration interface. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in multi-user environments where administrators may grant Contributor roles to users who should not have access to form builder functionality.
Organizations using the Forminator plugin version 1.35.1 or earlier should immediately implement mitigations including plugin updates to the latest available version that addresses this capability check deficiency. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which describes improper access control scenarios where insufficient checks allow unauthorized privilege escalation. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through compromised credentials. Security teams should monitor for suspicious form creation activities and implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential exploitation. Additionally, administrators should review user permissions and remove unnecessary capabilities from lower-privilege accounts to reduce the attack surface.
The root cause of this vulnerability demonstrates a common security oversight in WordPress plugin development where capability checks are either omitted or inadequately implemented. This issue reflects poor adherence to secure coding practices and highlights the importance of comprehensive security testing during plugin development cycles. The vulnerability's classification as a missing capability check directly relates to the principle of least privilege, where users should only have access to functions necessary for their role. Organizations should conduct regular security audits of their WordPress plugins and maintain updated security baselines to prevent similar issues from compromising their digital infrastructure. The remediation process requires not only updating the vulnerable plugin but also verifying that no malicious forms were created during the exploitation period and potentially resetting user permissions to ensure system integrity.