CVE-2024-3715 in Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor Forms
Summary
by MITRE • 05/02/2024
The Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting in all versions up to, and including, 1.3.8 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers 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 • 04/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-3715 affects popular WordPress form plugins including Contact Form 7, WPforms, and Elementor forms which are widely used across the WordPress ecosystem. This stored cross-site scripting vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that has been present in versions up to and including 1.3.8, exposing millions of WordPress sites to potential exploitation. The flaw resides in the insufficient input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within these plugins, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject persistent malicious scripts into the plugin's database storage.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit the lack of proper input validation by submitting malicious payloads through form fields that are then stored in the database. When legitimate users access pages containing these stored malicious scripts, the injected code executes in their browsers without their knowledge or consent. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which describes the use of web application vulnerabilities for initial access and execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of website content, and redirection to malicious sites. The stored nature of the XSS means that the attack persists even after the initial injection, making it particularly dangerous as the malicious code continues to execute whenever affected pages are accessed. This vulnerability affects not just the end users but also administrators who may unknowingly access compromised pages, potentially leading to complete compromise of the WordPress installation.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of all affected plugins to version 1.3.9 or later where the input sanitization and output escaping issues have been addressed. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as regular security audits of form submissions, monitoring for suspicious script injections, and implementing content security policies to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output escaping in web applications, particularly in plugins that handle user input data. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security scanning to detect and prevent similar vulnerabilities in their WordPress environments, as this flaw represents a common attack vector that targets the most frequently used WordPress plugins.