CVE-2025-10499 in Ninja Forms Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/27/2025
The Ninja Forms – The Contact Form Builder That Grows With You plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in all versions up to, and including, 3.12.0. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation on the maybe_opt_in() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to opt an affected site into usage statistics collection via a forged request granted they can trick a site administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-10499 affects the Ninja Forms WordPress plugin, specifically targeting versions up to and including 3.12.0. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of the plugin's administrative functions and potentially compromises the security posture of WordPress sites relying on this form builder. The vulnerability manifests through a cross-site request forgery weakness that allows unauthorized actors to manipulate the plugin's behavior without proper authentication.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper implementation of nonce validation within the maybe_opt_in() function of the Ninja Forms plugin. A nonce is a cryptographic value that ensures requests originate from legitimate sources and are not forged by malicious actors. In this case, the function fails to properly validate nonces, creating a pathway for attackers to execute unauthorized administrative actions. This flaw directly maps to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities in software applications. The absence of proper nonce verification means that any request attempting to modify the plugin's opt-in status for usage statistics collection can be forged and executed without administrator consent.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data collection, as it allows unauthenticated attackers to potentially manipulate site configuration and gather usage statistics on behalf of the target organization. When an administrator clicks on a malicious link or visits a compromised page, they unknowingly trigger the forged request that changes the plugin's settings. This creates a significant risk for site administrators who may be tricked into performing actions that inadvertently enable data collection or other modifications that could expose sensitive information about the site's operations or user base. The vulnerability operates under the ATT&CK framework category of T1566, which covers Phishing techniques, where attackers exploit human factors to gain unauthorized access to systems through social engineering.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate protection and long-term security enhancements. The most effective immediate solution involves updating the Ninja Forms plugin to version 3.12.1 or later, where the nonce validation has been properly implemented. Site administrators should also implement additional security measures such as regular security audits of installed plugins, monitoring for unauthorized configuration changes, and educating administrators about phishing risks. The implementation of additional security layers such as web application firewalls and strict access controls can provide defense-in-depth protection against similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely updates of all WordPress components and maintain comprehensive backup strategies to recover quickly from potential exploitation attempts.