CVE-2026-82220 in Forminator Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/28/2026
Unauthenticated Other Vulnerability Type in Forminator <= 1.57.1 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2026
The vulnerability identified within Forminator plugin versions prior to or equal to 1.57.1 represents a critical security flaw characterized by the absence of proper authentication checks for specific administrative actions and data manipulation endpoints. This unauthenticated access vector allows any remote actor, without requiring valid credentials or session tokens, to interact with sensitive functionalities exposed by the WordPress plugin. The core technical deficiency lies in the failure to enforce capability verification using standard WordPress functions such as current_user_can before processing requests that modify form configurations, submit entries, or alter database records associated with user-generated content. This oversight effectively bypasses the intended access control mechanisms designed to restrict administrative operations to authorized users only, creating a pathway for unauthorized state changes and data exposure.
From a technical perspective, this flaw aligns closely with CWE-287, which describes Improper Authentication, as well as CWE-915, which pertains to Improper Control of Dynamically-Identified Variables. The attacker can exploit these endpoints by crafting specific HTTP requests that target the plugin's AJAX handlers or REST API interfaces without providing valid nonces or authentication cookies. Because WordPress plugins often rely on nonce verification and capability checks for security, the absence of these validations in Forminator versions up to 1.57.1 means that actions such as creating new forms, editing existing form settings, or accessing submitted entries can be performed by any internet user. This lack of input validation combined with insufficient authorization checks allows an adversary to manipulate the application state arbitrarily, potentially leading to further exploitation vectors such as cross-site scripting if malicious content is injected through these unauthenticated entry points.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for widespread data compromise and service disruption. An attacker can exploit this flaw to extract sensitive information submitted by users through forms hosted on the vulnerable website, including personally identifiable information, financial details, or confidential business communications stored in the WordPress database. Furthermore, the ability to modify form configurations without authentication enables an adversary to alter field types, submission limits, or notification settings, which could be used to harvest additional data from unsuspecting visitors or disrupt normal site operations by configuring forms to behave maliciously. In some scenarios, this unauthenticated access can serve as a foothold for more advanced attacks, such as remote code execution if the manipulated form fields allow for script injection that is then rendered on subsequent page loads where other authenticated users view submissions.
This vulnerability maps directly to several techniques within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically T1078 Valid Accounts when considering the bypass of authentication requirements and T1505 Server Software Component if the exploitation involves injecting malicious components into the server environment through form configurations. The lack of proper access control also relates to T1496 Endpoint Denial of Service if the attacker floods unauthenticated endpoints with requests, though the primary concern remains data integrity and confidentiality breaches. Organizations relying on Forminator for contact forms, surveys, or lead generation must recognize that this flaw exposes their backend infrastructure to direct manipulation from external actors who do not need prior access credentials.
Mitigation strategies require immediate action by administrators of websites running affected versions of the plugin. The primary remediation step is to upgrade Forminator to version 1.57.2 or later, where these authentication and authorization checks have been properly implemented to ensure that only users with appropriate capabilities can perform administrative actions. Until an update is applied, site owners should consider implementing web application firewall rules that restrict access to the specific endpoints exploited by this vulnerability based on IP reputation or request patterns indicative of automated exploitation attempts. Additionally, enabling two-factor authentication for all administrator accounts and regularly auditing plugin permissions can provide a layer of defense-in-depth against potential exploitation attempts while the patch is being deployed. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that access controls are functioning as intended across all custom configurations within the WordPress environment.