CVE-2024-4150 in Simple Basic Contact Form Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/14/2024
The Simple Basic Contact Form plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the ‘scf_email’ parameter in versions up to, and including, 20221201 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2026
The Simple Basic Contact Form plugin for WordPress represents a significant security vulnerability through its susceptibility to reflected cross-site scripting attacks, specifically targeting the 'scf_email' parameter within versions up to and including 20221201. This flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization practices and insufficient output escaping mechanisms that fail to properly validate or encode user-supplied data before processing. The vulnerability exists at the intersection of web application security principles where user input flows directly into HTTP responses without proper contextual encoding, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic reflected XSS flaw categorized under CWE-79 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload and injects it through the scf_email parameter, the plugin fails to sanitize or escape the input before displaying it in subsequent HTTP responses. This creates a scenario where any user who views the affected page will execute the injected script within their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with a vector for more sophisticated attacks including phishing campaigns, data exfiltration, and session manipulation. Since the vulnerability affects an unauthenticated attacker, no prior access or credentials are required to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter the malicious links through email campaigns or social engineering tactics. The reflected nature of the attack means that successful exploitation requires user interaction through clicking on a specially crafted link, but once triggered, the malicious script executes within the victim's browser context with the privileges of that user.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding measures as recommended by the OWASP Top Ten project and aligned with ATT&CK framework techniques T1203 and T1584. The most effective immediate solution involves upgrading to a patched version of the plugin where input sanitization has been properly implemented using WordPress's built-in escaping functions such as esc_attr() or esc_html(). Additionally, administrators should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution contexts and consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious payloads targeting this specific parameter. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other plugins and themes, as this vulnerability type remains prevalent in WordPress ecosystems where proper security practices are not consistently applied across all components.