CVE-2026-74003 Overview
CVE-2026-74003 is a broken access control vulnerability affecting the RomethemeForm For Elementor WordPress plugin in versions 1.2.6 and earlier. The flaw allows authenticated users at the Contributor role level to perform actions that should require higher privileges. The weakness maps to [CWE-862] Missing Authorization, indicating the plugin fails to verify user permissions before executing sensitive operations. Exploitation requires low-privilege authentication but no user interaction, and the attack can be conducted over the network. Successful abuse impacts data integrity within the WordPress environment hosting the plugin.
Critical Impact
Authenticated Contributor-level users can bypass access controls in the RomethemeForm For Elementor plugin, leading to unauthorized modification of plugin-managed data on affected WordPress sites.
Affected Products
- RomethemeForm For Elementor plugin for WordPress
- Versions 1.2.6 and earlier
- WordPress sites using Elementor with the RomethemeForm add-on
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-08-18 - CVE-2026-74003 published to NVD
- 2026-08-20 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-74003
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability stems from missing authorization checks in the RomethemeForm For Elementor plugin. The plugin exposes functionality that should be restricted to administrators or editors, but permits users holding the Contributor role to invoke it. WordPress Contributors are trusted only to create and edit their own posts, so any plugin operation that alters site-wide configuration, form submissions, or shared resources must enforce a capability check such as current_user_can('manage_options').
The flaw falls under [CWE-862] Missing Authorization. Because the check is absent or insufficient, the plugin trusts the authenticated session identity without verifying whether the user's role permits the requested action. The impact is limited to integrity, meaning attackers cannot directly read confidential data or take the site offline through this weakness, but they can alter plugin-managed state.
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of a capability or nonce validation on one or more plugin endpoints. Full technical details are provided in the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability advisory.
Attack Vector
An attacker first obtains a Contributor account on the target WordPress site, either through registration where enabled or through prior credential compromise. The attacker then issues authenticated HTTP requests to the vulnerable plugin endpoint. Because no exploit is publicly available at this time and no proof-of-concept has been indexed in Exploit-DB, the specific request format must be derived from the vendor advisory. The attack requires no user interaction and executes entirely over the network.
No verified proof-of-concept code is available. Refer to the Patchstack advisory linked above for endpoint-level technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-74003
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected authenticated HTTP POST or AJAX requests from Contributor-role accounts to admin-ajax.php or plugin-specific REST endpoints associated with romethemeform.
- Modifications to plugin configuration, forms, or entries performed by users who do not normally administer the site.
- New or altered form definitions appearing in the WordPress database without corresponding administrator activity in audit logs.
Detection Strategies
- Enable WordPress activity logging to capture role-scoped actions and flag Contributor accounts invoking plugin management functions.
- Deploy a web application firewall rule that inspects requests to RomethemeForm endpoints and correlates them with the authenticated user's role cookie.
- Review authentication logs for Contributor accounts exhibiting request patterns typical of administrative sessions.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on any successful state-changing request to plugin endpoints originating from non-privileged accounts.
- Monitor for creation of new Contributor accounts followed within a short window by requests to plugin administrative paths.
- Baseline normal plugin traffic and flag deviations in request volume or endpoint diversity per user role.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-74003
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the RomethemeForm For Elementor plugin to a version later than 1.2.6 once the vendor publishes a fix.
- Audit existing Contributor accounts and remove any that are not required for site operations.
- Disable open user registration or restrict the default registration role to Subscriber if Contributor access is not needed.
Patch Information
Consult the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability advisory for the latest patched version information. Apply the vendor-supplied update through the WordPress plugin manager as soon as it is available.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the RomethemeForm For Elementor plugin until a patched release is installed if it is not business-critical.
- Use a WordPress firewall or virtual patching solution such as Patchstack to block requests to the vulnerable endpoints for non-administrator users.
- Restrict access to wp-admin and admin-ajax.php by IP allowlist where operationally feasible to limit exposure of authenticated endpoints.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
