CVE-2024-4261 is a code injection vulnerability classified under CWE-94 found in the themehunk Responsive Contact Form Builder & Lead Generation Plugin for WordPress. The flaw exists because the plugin improperly controls the generation of code by allowing arbitrary shortcode execution without adequate validation. Specifically, authenticated users with subscriber-level privileges or higher can trigger the execution of arbitrary shortcodes via an action that calls WordPress's do_shortcode function without proper sanitization or validation of input values. This vulnerability affects all plugin versions up to and including 1.9.1. The exploitation requires only low-level authenticated access, does not require user interaction, and can be performed remotely over the network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.4, reflecting a medium severity with low attack complexity and partial impacts on confidentiality and integrity but no impact on availability. While no public exploits are known at this time, the vulnerability could be leveraged to execute malicious shortcodes that might lead to unauthorized data access, privilege escalation, or other malicious actions within the WordPress environment. The plugin is widely used in WordPress sites focused on lead generation and contact forms, making this a relevant threat to many organizations using this software.

The vulnerability allows attackers with minimal authenticated privileges to execute arbitrary shortcodes, which can lead to unauthorized code execution within the WordPress context. This can compromise the confidentiality of sensitive data by exposing or manipulating form submissions or other stored information. Integrity may be affected if attackers modify site content or configuration via shortcode payloads. Although availability is not directly impacted, the potential for privilege escalation or further exploitation could lead to broader compromise. Organizations relying on this plugin risk unauthorized access to user data, defacement, or use of the site as a pivot point for further attacks. The medium CVSS score reflects that while the attack vector is relatively easy, the requirement for authenticated access limits the scope somewhat. However, subscriber-level access is commonly granted to many users, increasing the risk. The lack of known exploits currently reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate the risk of future exploitation.

1. Immediately restrict user roles and permissions to the minimum necessary, especially limiting subscriber-level users from accessing plugin features that invoke shortcodes. 2. Monitor and audit shortcode usage and plugin-related actions in WordPress logs to detect suspicious activity. 3. Apply any available patches or updates from themehunk as soon as they are released; if no patch is available, consider disabling or replacing the plugin temporarily. 4. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block unusual shortcode execution patterns or unauthorized access attempts. 5. Educate site administrators and users about the risks of granting unnecessary privileges and encourage strong authentication practices. 6. Regularly back up WordPress sites and databases to enable recovery in case of compromise. 7. Conduct security reviews of installed plugins and remove any that are not actively maintained or necessary. 8. Consider using security plugins that can detect and prevent unauthorized shortcode execution or code injection attempts.