# CVE-2023-49170: WordPress Forms by CaptainForm Plugin <= 2.5.3 is vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting (XSS)

> Reflected XSS in CaptainForm WordPress plugin allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Dec 2023
- **Updated:** 28 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-chfc-x833-27cm

## What is CVE-2023-49170?

CVE-2023-49170 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Forms by CaptainForm – Form Builder for WordPress, published on 15 Dec 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in captainform Forms by CaptainForm – Form Builder for WordPress allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Forms by CaptainForm – Form Builder for WordPress: from n/a through 2.5.3.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-49170?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Captainform Captainform.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-49170?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-49170 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-49170 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-49170 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Forms by CaptainForm – Form Builder for WordPress

- [CVE-2022-43459](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-43459/): WordPress Forms by CaptainForm Plugin <= 2.5.3 is vulnerable to Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) (medium 5.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-49170 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-49170 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Forms by CaptainForm – Form Builder for WordPress, published on 15 Dec 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-49170 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Forms by CaptainForm – Form Builder for WordPress. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49170/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49170/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-49170
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-49170
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-49170

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49170/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.