CVE-2026-57814 in Forminator Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/13/2026
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in WPMU DEV - Your All-in-One WordPress Platform Forminator forminator allows DOM-Based XSS.This issue affects Forminator: from n/a through <= 1.55.0.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2026
This cross-site scripting vulnerability resides within the Forminator plugin for WordPress platforms, specifically impacting versions up to and including 1.55.0.1. The flaw manifests as an improper neutralization of input during web page generation, creating a dom-based cross-site scripting attack vector that allows malicious actors to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data that flows through the DOM without proper escaping or encoding mechanisms. This particular weakness falls under CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a critical security concern. The attack occurs when malicious input is processed and rendered within the browser's document object model without adequate protection measures, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the affected website.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can facilitate session hijacking, data theft, and privilege escalation attacks against authenticated users. Attackers can craft malicious URLs or forms that, when viewed by victims, trigger the execution of malicious scripts that can steal cookies, capture keystrokes, redirect users to phishing sites, or modify page content. The dom-based nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload is executed directly in the browser environment rather than being stored on the server, making detection more challenging and allowing for more sophisticated attack patterns. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics including phishing attacks, where the XSS flaw enables attackers to deliver malicious payloads through compromised web forms.
The exploitation requires minimal prerequisites as users must simply interact with a maliciously crafted form or URL that triggers the vulnerable DOM processing. The vulnerability affects the entire Forminator plugin ecosystem and can potentially impact any WordPress installation using this specific version range, making it particularly dangerous for widespread deployment scenarios. Organizations relying on WPMU DEV's platform for their web forms are at risk of having their users' sessions compromised, as attackers can leverage the XSS to obtain session tokens and impersonate legitimate users. Remediation efforts should focus on implementing proper input sanitization, output encoding, and content security policy enforcement mechanisms that prevent unauthorized script execution in user contexts.
Mitigation strategies include immediate patching to versions beyond 1.55.0.1 where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and output encoding. Administrators should implement content security policies that restrict script execution to trusted sources and employ regular security audits of plugin installations. Additionally, the implementation of web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers against known XSS patterns while monitoring for suspicious input patterns in form submissions. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially affected plugins or components within their WordPress ecosystem, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input handling throughout all web application components. The fix typically involves ensuring that all user-provided data passing through DOM operations undergoes appropriate escaping and encoding before being rendered in the browser context.
This vulnerability represents a critical weakness in WordPress plugin security architecture that highlights the need for robust input validation across all user-facing interfaces. The improper neutralization of input during web page generation constitutes a fundamental flaw in the security design principle of defense-in-depth, where multiple layers of protection should be implemented to prevent single points of failure. Security teams must prioritize regular updates and maintain comprehensive inventory of all installed plugins to ensure timely patch deployment. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of following secure coding practices as defined by OWASP Top Ten and other industry standards that emphasize proper input sanitization and output encoding in web applications. Organizations should establish automated scanning processes that continuously monitor their web applications for similar vulnerabilities, particularly focusing on DOM-based XSS patterns that can be more difficult to detect through traditional security tools due to their client-side execution nature.