CVE-2026-65459 in Forminator Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/10/2026
Unauthenticated Arbitrary Content Deletion in Forminator <= 1.57.3 versions.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as an unauthenticated arbitrary content deletion flaw within the WordPress plugin Forminator prior to version 1.58 represents a critical security deficiency that allows attackers to manipulate or destroy data without valid credentials. This specific issue stems from insufficient access control mechanisms in the administrative endpoints responsible for managing form submissions and related assets. In typical web application architectures, operations such as deleting records should be strictly gated behind authentication checks and authorization validations ensuring that only users with appropriate privileges can perform destructive actions. However, in this instance, the server-side logic fails to verify whether the requesting user is authenticated or possesses the necessary permissions before executing deletion commands against database entries associated with form data.
From a technical perspective, the flaw likely resides in an API endpoint or AJAX handler within the plugin that processes delete requests based solely on parameters provided by the client side without validating the session state of the requester. This lack of server-side validation enables any remote actor to craft HTTP requests containing specific identifiers for forms or submissions and trigger their removal from the database. The absence of anti-CSRF tokens further exacerbates this risk, allowing attackers to potentially exploit cross-site request forgery techniques to force authenticated administrators into inadvertently deleting content if they were tricked into visiting a malicious page while logged in, although the primary vector here is unauthenticated access which requires no such social engineering prerequisites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its direct effect on data integrity and availability. Attackers can systematically enumerate form IDs or submission identifiers through brute-force techniques or by leveraging publicly available information about site structures to target specific entries. The ability to arbitrarily delete content means that organizations relying on Forminator for lead generation, customer feedback collection, or internal workflow management face the risk of significant data loss. This destruction of records can disrupt business operations, compromise audit trails required for regulatory compliance such as GDPR or HIPAA depending on the nature of the collected data, and erode trust among users who expect their submissions to be securely stored.
In terms of industry standard classifications, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Improper Access Control where an actor is able to access resources without proper authorization. It also relates closely to CWE-611 Improper Restriction of XML External Entity References if the deletion logic interacts with external data sources in a vulnerable manner, though primarily it is categorized under unauthorized modification or destruction of data which falls under broader integrity violations. Within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this behavior maps to T1485 Data Destruction where an adversary destroys information and assets on affected systems. The unauthenticated nature of the attack places it firmly in the initial access phase if combined with other vectors, but primarily highlights a failure in the persistence or impact phases depending on how the deletion is leveraged for further exploitation such as denial of service against specific business functions.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching to version 1.58 or later where these access control checks have been reinforced. Administrators should ensure that all WordPress plugins are kept up-to-date with security releases provided by vendors who adhere to secure coding practices including rigorous input validation and strict authorization enforcement on every state-changing operation. Additionally, implementing Web Application Firewalls can provide a layer of defense by detecting anomalous patterns in HTTP requests targeting administrative endpoints, although this is not a substitute for fixing the underlying code defect. Regular audits of plugin permissions and disabling unused features within Forminator can also reduce the attack surface available to potential adversaries seeking to exploit such flaws.