Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessReach Forminator endpoint over network
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DeliverySubmit crafted privilege-assignment request
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ExploitTrigger incorrect capability grant
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ExecutionEscalate to higher-privileged role
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ImpactModify site data/configuration
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2025 - Insecure Design
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Privilege assignment review
|
| Exploitation Conditions | The affected component is the WPMU DEV Forminator plugin at any version from initial release through 1.57.3; sites must be running a vulnerable version of this specific plugin. The described flaw is an incorrect privilege assignment enabling privilege escalation. Per the supplied CVSS vector the attack is network-based with low complexity and no user interaction, and PR:N implies no authentication is required against a default Forminator installation; however, because CWE-266 privilege escalation typically requires an existing (low-privilege) account, defenders should confirm whether a registered user role is a precondition. No specific non-default feature or configuration setting is named in the description. |
| Impact | This is a genuine prioritization concern but with important caveats. The Patchstack-supplied CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L, base 8.2) describes a network-reachable, low-complexity, unauthenticated flaw with high integrity impact - consistent with a serious privilege-escalation issue in a widely deployed WordPress plugin. However, the signals are thin: no EPSS probability, no CISA KEV listing, and no public POC are present in the provided data, so there is no evidence of active or imminent exploitation. There is also an internal tension worth flagging: the weakness is CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment) leading to 'Privilege Escalation,' which normally presupposes an attacker already holds some account, yet the vector asserts PR:N (unauthenticated) - verify with the vendor/Patchstack advisory whether a low-privilege account (e.g., subscriber) is actually required. Net: treat as a high-severity patch-soon item for Forminator operators, but the absence of KEV/EPSS/POC suggests it is not yet under widespread exploitation. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker interacts with the Forminator plugin over the network (AV:N, AC:L, no user interaction) and abuses the incorrect privilege assignment to grant themselves or manipulate capabilities beyond what they should hold, resulting in high integrity impact and limited availability impact. If the vendor's PR:N rating holds, this is achievable without authentication; if a low-privilege account is actually needed, a registered subscriber could perform the escalation. No public exploit code was identified at time of analysis. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Oct 10, 2026
Privilege escalation in the WPMU DEV Forminator WordPress plugin affects every release through 1.57.3 and lets an attacker abuse incorrect privilege assignment logic to obtain capabilities beyond those granted to their account, resulting in high integrity impact and some availability impact. Our independent assessment scores the issue using the vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L, i.e. network-reachable, low complexity and no user interaction, but with PR:L rather than the vendor-reported PR:N, meaning a low-privileged account is the more likely precondition and any site offering low-privilege registration should treat this as high priority. There is confirmed actively exploited? No - no KEV listing, and no public exploit identified at time of analysis, so this should be prioritized on the basis of the privilege-escalation class and the wide install base of the plugin rather than on observed attacks.
RemediationAI
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis, so the primary action is to watch the Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/wordpress/plugin/forminator/vulnerability/wordpress-forminator-plugin-1-57-3-privilege-escalation-vulnerability?_s_id=cve and the WPMU DEV plugin changelog, and to upgrade Forminator to the first release above 1.57.3 as soon as it is published; because no fixed version number is confirmed in the supplied data, do not treat 1.57.3 itself as remediated. If upgrading is not immediately possible, the most effective compensating control is to close the prerequisite foothold: set WordPress to disallow open registration (Settings > General, 'Anyone can register' off) and remove or restrict any Forminator form that provisions accounts or assigns roles, accepting that this breaks legitimate self-service signup workflows. Where low-privilege accounts must remain, audit wp_users and wp_usermeta for unexpected role or capability changes and strip elevated roles from accounts that do not need them, and constrain Forminator form submissions to trusted networks with a reverse-proxy or WAF rule, at the cost of blocking legitimate remote submitters. Because the assessed vector requires PR:L while the vendor vector claims PR:N, hardening registration and reviewing existing subscriber-level accounts addresses both interpretations until a fixed build is available.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
Forminator is a WordPress form-builder plugin published by WPMU DEV; because it runs inside WordPress it inherits the platform's role and capability model, where actions are gated by current_user_can() checks and capabilities such as manage_options, edit_users or plugin-specific capabilities. The root cause is tracked as CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment): the plugin assigns privileges - a role, capability or equivalent authorization state - in a way that can be influenced or triggered by a request the attacker can make, so that a user ends up holding rights they should not have. The supplied CPE cpe:2.3:a:wpmu_dev:forminator:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* identifies the whole plugin distribution as in scope up to and including 1.57.3, and the only source reference is the Patchstack advisory for the 1.57.3 privilege-escalation issue, with tags 'Privilege Escalation' and 'Forminator'. The reported base vector (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L, score 8.2) treats the flaw as unauthenticated, whereas the authoritative independent assessment applies PR:L; that divergence matters because CWE-266 privilege escalation almost always requires an existing foothold, so defenders should not assume this is exploitable against a hardened site that forbids public account creation, but also should not dismiss it on sites that allow self-registration.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L
Network, low-complexity, no UI; PR:L chosen because CWE-266 privilege escalation typically requires an existing low-privilege account, with high integrity and low availability impact and no confidentiality loss.
Primary rating from Vendor (Patchstack).
CVSS VectorVendor: Patchstack
DescriptionCVE.org
Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability in WPMU DEV Forminator forminator allows Privilege Escalation.This issue affects Forminator: from n/a through 1.57.3.
Executive ViewAI
A high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability in the WPMU DEV Forminator WordPress plugin (all versions through 1.57.3) allows authenticated low-privileged users to gain elevated capabilities, potentially compromising site integrity and availability. This affects any organization using the plugin, especially those with open registration; no vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis, and no public exploit identified at time of analysis. Leadership should prioritize mitigation due to the plugin's wide install base and the potential for unauthorized administrative access.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations include: disabling open user registration or restricting it to trusted domains; reviewing and hardening user role permissions; monitoring logs for privilege escalation attempts; and considering temporary plugin deactivation if not essential. Apply virtual patching if available from WAF vendors.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.
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NVD
CVE.org
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