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SimpleForm Unauthenticated Privilege Escalation via wp_capabilities

Priority MEDIUM 50CWE-269Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Privilege escalation
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
No fix listed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-269.

Summary

The SimpleForm Form Maker plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation in all versions up to and including 3.10.0. An unauthenticated attacker can create a new Administrator-level WordPress account by supplying wp_capabilities in the registration request, because the AJAX registration action lacks a capability check and the user meta writer omits wp_capabilities from its exclusion list (CWE-269). The required nonce is publicly exposed on every front-end page, so it is easy to obtain.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28

Description from the CNA

The SimpleForm – Form Maker to Chat Apps with Quiz, Poll and Multi Lead Notifications plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 3.10.0 This is due to the `wp_ajax_nopriv_simpleform_wp_register` AJAX action lacking any capability check for role assignment and the `save_custom_fields_to_user_meta()` function using an exclusion list that omits `wp_capabilities`, combined with `get_form_settings()` returning a hard-coded defaults array that unconditionally enables meta writing regardless of the supplied `form_id`. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to create a new Administrator-level WordPress account by supplying `wp_capabilities[administrator]=1` alongside standard registration fields. The nonce required by the endpoint is publicly emitted into the `front_end_data` JavaScript object on every front-end page via `wp_enqueue_scripts`, making it trivially obtainable by any unauthenticated visitor before submitting the malicious request.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00833 57th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
Yes
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
wpazleenSimpleForm – Form Maker to Chat Apps with Quiz, Poll and Multi Lead Notificationsup to 3.10.0—No fix listedCNA
  • SimpleForm – Form Maker to Chat Apps with Quiz, Poll and Multi Lead Notifications Vendorwpazleen Affected up to 3.10.0 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

Remediation

The sources list no fixed version for SimpleForm Form Maker to Chat Apps with Quiz, Poll and Multi Lead Notifications.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-14 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-104748
  2. 2026-10-14 Alias added: GHSA-5hqh-jvjf-mpvw
  3. 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  4. 2026-10-19 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile

References

  • TI-2026-83523 Arbitrary file upload in SimpleForm WordPress plugin CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-11366 Unrestricted file upload in wpazleen Post Export Import with Media CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.2
  • TI-2026-73821 Post Export Import with Media: Authenticated PHP Object Injection CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.2
  • TI-2026-76039 Path traversal in Post Export Import with Media WordPress plugin CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.9
  • TI-2026-70261 Path traversal in Post Export Import with Media allows file reads CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.9

Sources