Critical Security Flaw Unveiled in Widely Used WordPress Plugin
A perilous security vulnerability has been unearthed in the immensely popular WordPress plugin “Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms,” endangering more than 70,000 websites to the specter of remote code execution assaults.
This vulnerability, designated as CVE-2025-7384 and assigned a maximum CVSS score of 9.8, encompasses all versions up to and including 1.4.3, and was publicly unveiled on August 12, 2025.
The root of the flaw lies in PHP Object Injection facilitated by the deserialization of untrusted input within the plugin’s get_lead_detail function. This enables unauthenticated assailants to surreptitiously inject malicious PHP objects without the need for user credentials or any form of interaction.
Key Insights
1. Grave WordPress plugin vulnerability jeopardizes over 70,000 websites to remote code execution threats.
2. Attackers can manipulate PHP Object Injection to compromise systems.
3. Promptly update to avert exploitation.
This vulnerability epitomizes one of the most severe categories of web application weaknesses, as it empowers attackers to execute arbitrary code on susceptible servers.
Deserialization Vulnerability in WordPress Plugin
The vulnerability exploits the deserialization of untrusted information, a frequent attack vector wherein malicious serialized objects are processed by the application, devoid of appropriate validation.
Security researcher Mikemyers pinpointed the specific deficiency within the plugin’s data management system, wherein user-supplied input undergoes direct deserialization without undergoing sanitization checks.
The gravity of this vulnerability is amplified by the existence of a Property-Oriented Programming (POP) chain in the Contact Form 7 plugin, often co-installed with the vulnerable database add-on.
This POP chain grants attackers the potential to escalate their initial object injection into arbitrary file deletion capabilities, potentially steering clear of critical system files such as wp-config[.]php.
The deletion of core WordPress configuration files may culminate in total system compromise or facilitate remote code execution incidents.
Alarmingly, this attack vector necessitates no authentication, rendering it exceedingly accessible to nefarious actors.
The CVSS vector string, CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A: H, corroborates network-based assaults characterized by low complexity, with no privileges required, and high repercussions on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
| Risk Factors | Details |
| Affected Products | Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms plugin ≤ 1.4.3 |
| Impact | Remote Code Execution |
| Exploit Prerequisites | None (Unauthenticated attack) |
| CVSS 3.1 Score | 9.8 (Critical) |
Recommended Mitigations
Administrators of websites utilizing the affected plugin are urged to immediately upgrade to version 1.4.4 or later, which includes essential security enhancements.
The vulnerability has been effectively addressed through the implementation of rigorous input validation and sanitization protocols in the get_lead_detail function, thwarting any malicious object injection attempts.
In light of the critical nature of this vulnerability and its potential for widespread exploitation, security experts advise the implementation of supplementary protective measures, including Web Application Firewalls (WAF) and consistent security monitoring.
Organizations ought to conduct thorough security audits of their WordPress installations, with particular emphasis on form-handling plugins that process user input.
The swift disclosure and remediation of this vulnerability underscore the paramount importance of maintaining up-to-date WordPress environments and the invaluable role of security researchers in identifying potentially catastrophic flaws prior to large-scale exploitation.
Source link: Cybersecuritynews.com.
