CVE-2022-45806
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a missing authorization vulnerability in the Formidable Forms WordPress plugin that allows attackers to exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels. It affects all versions up to 5.5.4, potentially allowing unauthorized users to access or modify form data they shouldn't have permission to view or edit.
💻 Affected Systems
- Formidable Forms WordPress Plugin
📦 What is this software?
Formidable Forms by Strategy11
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could access sensitive form submissions containing PII, payment information, or confidential data, potentially leading to data breaches, compliance violations, and reputational damage.
Likely Case
Unauthorized users accessing form submissions they shouldn't see, potentially exposing moderate sensitivity data like contact information, survey responses, or basic user data.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and authentication requirements on forms, impact is limited to forms that were already publicly accessible or had insufficient permission checks.
🎯 Exploit Status
Missing authorization vulnerabilities typically require minimal technical skill to exploit once the vulnerability is understood.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 5.5.5 and later
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel
2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins
3. Find Formidable Forms
4. Click 'Update Now' if available
5. If not, download version 5.5.5+ from WordPress.org
6. Deactivate old version
7. Upload and activate new version
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Temporary Plugin Deactivation
allDisable Formidable Forms plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate formidable
Restrict Access via .htaccess
linuxAdd access restrictions to form submission directories
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
Allow from 127.0.0.1
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement additional authentication layer for all forms using WordPress capabilities or custom code
- Monitor access logs for unusual patterns of form data access and implement rate limiting
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin → Plugins → Formidable Forms → Version number. If version is 5.5.4 or lower, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin list --name=formidable --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Formidable Forms version is 5.5.5 or higher in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual access patterns to form submission endpoints
- Multiple failed authorization attempts on form admin pages
- Access to form data from unexpected IP addresses or user roles
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with form-related actions from unauthenticated users
- Unusual traffic to form submission endpoints
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND (uri_path="/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php" AND action="frm_entries_*" AND user="-")