Security Alert Summary
The Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms plugin for WordPress is affected by a PHP Object Injection vulnerability (CVE-2026-2599) that allows unauthenticated input deserialization in the download_csv function. The vulnerability can only be exploited to cause meaningful impact if a POP (Property-Oriented Programming) chain is present elsewhere on the site via another plugin or theme.
CVE Details
- CVE ID: CVE-2026-2599
- Affected component: The Database for Contact Form 7, WPforms, Elementor forms plugin for WordPress
- Affected versions: All versions up to, and including, 1.4.7
- Published: March 5, 2026 at 1:16:30 PM UTC
- Last modified: March 5, 2026 at 1:16:30 PM UTC
- CVSS v3.1: Base Score 9.8 — CRITICAL;
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Attack vector / complexity: Network / Low
- Privileges required: None
- User interaction: None
- Primary impact: Confidentiality: High; Integrity: High; Availability: High
- Weakness (CWE): CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)
Technical Details
The vulnerability is a PHP Object Injection that occurs via deserialization of untrusted input handled by the plugin’s download_csv function. The plugin accepts serialized data that can be deserialized into PHP objects. Because untrusted input is deserialized without adequate protections, an unauthenticated attacker can inject a PHP object payload.
The CVE entry notes there is no known POP chain in the vulnerable plugin itself. That means the deserialization flaw only leads to higher-impact outcomes (such as file deletion, data retrieval, or remote code execution) when a separate plugin or theme installed on the same site provides a usable POP chain. If such a POP chain is present, attacker-supplied object payloads routed through download_csv may be able to trigger destructive or data-exfiltrating behaviors depending on the available gadget chain.
How This Could Impact Your Website
Consider a website where a site owner manages content, internal staff manage submissions, and an external contractor maintains forms. An attacker could target the download_csv entry point with crafted serialized input. If the site also runs another plugin or theme that provides a POP chain, that attacker could potentially use the chain to delete files, retrieve sensitive data (for example, stored form submissions including user contact information), or execute code in the context allowed by that POP chain.
Practical consequences include exposure of internal user email addresses or form submission data and an increased risk of targeted phishing or social engineering against staff or contractors. The direct risk depends on whether an additional plugin or theme on the site supplies a usable POP chain; without such a chain, the CVE entry states the vulnerability has no impact.
If you’re unsure whether your site is affected or how to assess your current user roles and plugins, it may be worth having a professional review your setup.
Recommended Actions
- Update the affected plugin as soon as a patched version is available. (No fixed version is specified in the CVE entry.)
- Review and reduce unnecessary user roles, especially contributors and other low-privilege accounts that can upload or submit data.
- Enforce strong passwords and two-factor authentication for editors and administrators.
- Remove unused or unmaintained plugins and themes to reduce the chance a POP chain is present on the site.
- Monitor site activity and logs for unusual behavior, file deletions, or unexpected requests to form-related endpoints.
If you’d like help reviewing your plugins, user roles, or overall WordPress security posture, our team at Freshy is happy to help.
References
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/contact-form-entries/trunk/contact-form-entries.php#L2972
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/contact-form-entries/trunk/contact-form-entries.php#L3016
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3474882/
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/7a116f28-a560-4b54-9cd1-f1dd9ac3238d?source=cve
