CVE-2024-10593 Overview
CVE-2024-10593 affects the WPForms plugin for WordPress, a widely deployed form builder used for contact forms, payment forms, and surveys. The vulnerability is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) flaw [CWE-352] in the process_admin_ui function. All versions up to and including 1.9.1.6 are affected. The flaw stems from missing or incorrect nonce validation, allowing unauthenticated attackers to delete WPForms logs by tricking a site administrator into clicking a crafted link. The issue was assigned to the WordPress WPForms Lite plugin and reported through Wordfence.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can delete WPForms plugin logs by coercing an authenticated administrator to interact with a forged request, undermining log integrity and incident forensics.
Affected Products
- WPForms Lite plugin for WordPress — all versions through 1.9.1.6
- WordPress sites running the vulnerable WPForms plugin in the wordpress target software environment
- Administrator accounts of any WordPress site exposing the WPForms admin interface
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-11-13 - CVE-2024-10593 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in the NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-10593
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the process_admin_ui function of the WPForms Lite plugin. The function processes administrative UI actions related to plugin logs but does not correctly validate a WordPress nonce before executing state-changing operations. An attacker can craft an HTML page or link that, when loaded by an authenticated administrator, issues a request to the vulnerable endpoint. The request executes with the administrator's session cookies, allowing the attacker to delete stored WPForms log entries. Impact is limited to log destruction, which affects audit trails and post-incident investigation rather than direct data confidentiality or full site takeover. Relevant plugin source is visible in WordPress Logs Source Code and WordPress Logger Source Code.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or improperly implemented CSRF token (nonce) validation. WordPress provides wp_verify_nonce and check_admin_referer primitives for state-changing admin actions. In the affected releases, the log deletion path invoked by process_admin_ui executes without a verified nonce, so origin authenticity cannot be established.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires user interaction from an administrator. The attacker hosts or delivers a page containing a forged form or link targeting the WPForms admin log endpoint. When the administrator visits the page while authenticated to the WordPress admin panel, the browser attaches the session cookie and the log-deletion request is processed. No credentials or prior authentication are required from the attacker. Additional analysis is available in the Wordfence Vulnerability Report.
No public proof-of-concept exploit is available for this issue. The mechanism follows the standard CSRF pattern described above; see the Wordfence advisory for further technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-10593
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected clearing or truncation of WPForms log entries visible in the WordPress admin under WPForms Tools → Logs.
- HTTP requests to WPForms admin UI endpoints originating from external Referer headers or cross-origin contexts.
- Administrator sessions issuing log-management POST requests immediately after browsing external sites or clicking email links.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server access logs for POST or GET requests to WPForms admin tool endpoints missing valid _wpnonce parameters.
- Correlate WordPress wp-admin traffic with the Referer header to identify cross-site request patterns targeting administrators.
- Enable WordPress audit logging plugins to record log deletions and administrator UI actions for retrospective review.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on administrator activity that includes log-clearing operations without a preceding navigation event in the same origin.
- Track plugin version inventory across managed WordPress sites and flag installations at or below 1.9.1.6.
- Preserve WPForms log data in an off-site collector so evidence survives client-side deletion attempts.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-10593
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the WPForms Lite plugin to the first fixed release above 1.9.1.6 on all WordPress sites.
- Instruct administrators to log out of the WordPress admin panel when browsing untrusted content and avoid clicking unsolicited links.
- Review current WPForms log data and export or back it up before applying updates or investigating suspicious activity.
Patch Information
Upgrade WPForms Lite to a version later than 1.9.1.6. Review the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for the vendor-supplied fixed version and confirm the plugin is updated across all environments, including staging sites.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to the WordPress admin interface using IP allowlists or a web application firewall rule set that requires valid _wpnonce parameters on WPForms admin endpoints.
- Require administrators to use dedicated browsers or profiles for WordPress management, isolating admin sessions from general browsing.
- Deploy a CSRF-focused WAF signature that blocks cross-origin POST requests to /wp-admin/ targeting the WPForms tools path until the plugin is patched.
# Example WP-CLI command to update WPForms Lite across a site
wp plugin update wpforms-lite --version=latest
wp plugin get wpforms-lite --field=version
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.