CVE-2026-62043 Overview
CVE-2026-62043 is a sensitive data exposure vulnerability affecting the Contact Form 7 – Dynamic Text Extension WordPress plugin in versions 5.0.7 and earlier. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to retrieve sensitive information over the network without any user interaction or privileges. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-201: Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Sent Data. Patchstack disclosed the issue, and no public exploit code has been observed at the time of publication.
Critical Impact
Remote attackers can access sensitive data processed or stored by the plugin without authentication, potentially exposing form metadata, dynamic field values, or user-submitted content.
Affected Products
- Contact Form 7 – Dynamic Text Extension plugin for WordPress
- Plugin versions <= 5.0.7
- WordPress sites using the plugin for dynamic field population in Contact Form 7
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-10-10 - CVE-2026-62043 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-10-13 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-62043
Vulnerability Analysis
The Contact Form 7 – Dynamic Text Extension plugin extends the Contact Form 7 plugin by allowing form fields to be populated dynamically from URL parameters, shortcodes, or server-side values. In vulnerable versions, the plugin exposes sensitive information to unauthenticated requests. An attacker only needs network access to the WordPress site to retrieve data that should remain protected.
The advisory from Patchstack categorizes this as a sensitive data exposure issue impacting confidentiality. Integrity and availability are not affected, meaning the attacker cannot modify data or disrupt service through this flaw alone. Exposed data may still enable follow-on attacks such as targeted phishing, account enumeration, or chained exploitation when combined with other weaknesses.
Root Cause
The root cause maps to [CWE-201], where the application inserts sensitive information into data that is sent to parties not authorized to receive it. In the context of a Contact Form 7 extension, this typically involves dynamic field values, shortcode outputs, or form metadata being rendered or returned without appropriate access controls or output filtering.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires no authentication, no user interaction, and only network access to a vulnerable WordPress site. An unauthenticated remote attacker sends crafted HTTP requests to the plugin's exposed functionality to retrieve sensitive data. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Disclosure for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-62043
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual volumes of unauthenticated HTTP GET or POST requests targeting Contact Form 7 endpoints or dynamic shortcode handlers.
- Repeated requests from a single IP enumerating form IDs, shortcode parameters, or query strings associated with the Dynamic Text Extension.
- Web server logs showing requests referencing dynamic field names or CF7_DTX shortcode parameters outside normal user flows.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory all WordPress installations and identify any running the Contact Form 7 – Dynamic Text Extension plugin at version 5.0.7 or earlier.
- Review web application firewall (WAF) and reverse proxy logs for anomalous access patterns against Contact Form 7 URLs.
- Correlate plugin version data with vulnerability feeds to flag affected sites during routine scans.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose HTTP access logging for /wp-content/plugins/contact-form-7-dynamic-text-extension/ and related form endpoints.
- Alert on spikes in 200-response unauthenticated requests to form or shortcode handlers.
- Forward WordPress and web server telemetry into a centralized analytics pipeline to support historical lookback.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-62043
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Contact Form 7 – Dynamic Text Extension plugin to the latest version above 5.0.7 as soon as a fixed release is available.
- Audit any WordPress site using the plugin to determine what data could have been exposed through dynamic fields.
- Rotate credentials, tokens, or other secrets if any such values were ever rendered through dynamic text fields.
Patch Information
Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Disclosure for the current patch status and the recommended fixed version. Apply vendor updates through the WordPress plugin manager or deploy via infrastructure-as-code where applicable.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the Contact Form 7 – Dynamic Text Extension plugin if a patched version is not yet available or not required for business operations.
- Deploy WAF rules to restrict unauthenticated access to plugin endpoints and block suspicious shortcode parameter patterns.
- Avoid using the Dynamic Text Extension to render sensitive values such as account identifiers, tokens, or personally identifiable information until the site is patched.
# Example: identify affected installations via WP-CLI
wp plugin list --name=contact-form-7-dynamic-text-extension --fields=name,status,version
# Example: deactivate the vulnerable plugin until a patch is applied
wp plugin deactivate contact-form-7-dynamic-text-extension
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
