CVE-2025-13861
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious scripts into WordPress admin dashboards using the HTML Forms plugin. When administrators view form submissions, these scripts execute, potentially compromising admin accounts. All WordPress sites using HTML Forms plugin versions up to 1.6.0 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- HTML Forms - Simple WordPress Forms Plugin
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers gain administrative access to WordPress, leading to complete site takeover, data theft, malware distribution, or ransomware deployment.
Likely Case
Attackers hijack admin sessions to modify site content, install backdoors, or redirect visitors to malicious sites.
If Mitigated
With proper security controls, impact is limited to temporary admin session compromise that can be quickly detected and remediated.
🎯 Exploit Status
The vulnerability requires no authentication and has simple exploitation vectors through form submissions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.6.1
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin dashboard. 2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'HTML Forms' and click 'Update Now'. 4. Verify version is 1.6.1 or higher.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable HTML Forms Plugin
allTemporarily deactivate the vulnerable plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate html-forms
Restrict Admin Dashboard Access
allLimit access to WordPress admin dashboard using IP whitelisting
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block XSS payloads in form submissions
- Disable anonymous form submissions and require user authentication for all forms
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin → Plugins → Installed Plugins for HTML Forms version. If version is 1.6.0 or lower, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get html-forms --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify HTML Forms plugin version shows 1.6.1 or higher in WordPress admin.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual form submissions with script tags or JavaScript payloads
- Multiple failed admin login attempts following form submissions
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to form endpoints containing script tags or encoded JavaScript
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress" AND (http_method="POST" AND uri_path="/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php" AND (body="<script>" OR body="javascript:"))🔗 References
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/html-forms/trunk/src/functions.php#L321
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/html-forms/trunk/src/functions.php#L357
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&new=3419926%40html-forms%2Ftrunk&old=3407043%40html-forms%2Ftrunk&sfp_email=&sfph_mail=
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/52e2f1b9-d240-4813-9124-51bd6b047553?source=cve
