CVE-2024-1129 in Form Builder Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/29/2024
The NEX-Forms – Ultimate Form Builder – Contact forms and much more plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access due to a missing capability check on the set_starred() function in all versions up to, and including, 8.5.6. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to mark records as starred.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-1129 affects the NEX-Forms plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting versions up to and including 8.5.6. This plugin serves as a comprehensive form building solution that allows users to create various types of contact forms and data collection tools. The issue stems from a critical authorization flaw within the plugin's codebase where the set_starred() function lacks proper capability verification. This missing security check represents a significant oversight in the plugin's access control mechanisms, as it fails to validate whether the requesting user possesses appropriate permissions before executing the starring operation on form records.
The technical flaw manifests as a privilege escalation vulnerability that operates at the application level within the WordPress ecosystem. Attackers with subscriber-level accounts or higher can exploit this weakness to manipulate form data by marking records as starred without proper authorization. This capability check failure directly violates fundamental security principles and constitutes a CWE-284 access control vulnerability, where insufficient permissions are enforced for sensitive operations. The vulnerability exists because the plugin does not verify that users have the necessary administrative or managerial privileges before allowing them to modify the starred status of form submissions, which could potentially expose sensitive data or manipulate form records in ways that should be restricted to administrators.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk for WordPress sites utilizing the affected NEX-Forms plugin. An authenticated attacker with subscriber privileges can leverage this flaw to mark form records as starred, potentially creating confusion in data management systems or allowing unauthorized users to identify and target specific form submissions. The impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as it could enable attackers to gather intelligence about form submissions, potentially aiding in more sophisticated attacks or data exfiltration attempts. This vulnerability also represents a violation of the principle of least privilege, where users should only have access to functions necessary for their role, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 legitimate credentials, as it allows attackers to perform unauthorized actions within the system using their existing authenticated sessions.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly concerning given that it affects a widely used form building plugin that likely processes sensitive user data through contact forms, lead generation tools, and various data collection mechanisms. Organizations relying on this plugin may experience unauthorized data manipulation or information disclosure if attackers exploit this capability. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions indicates a systemic security flaw in the plugin's development approach, suggesting that proper security testing and code review processes may have been inadequate during the development lifecycle. Mitigation efforts should focus on immediate plugin updates to versions that address this capability check deficiency, along with implementing additional monitoring of form submission activities and user access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider restricting user roles and permissions where possible, and conducting thorough security assessments of all installed WordPress plugins to identify similar authorization flaws that could compromise system integrity.