# CVE-2026-3296: Everest Forms <= 3.4.3 - Unauthenticated PHP Object Injection via Form Entry Metadata

> Unauthenticated attackers can achieve remote code execution by injecting serialized PHP objects into form entries, which are deserialized when administrators view them.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rc2g-jh8w-mqh9

## What is CVE-2026-3296?

CVE-2026-3296 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in wpeverest Everest Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form, Quiz, Survey & Custom Form Builder, published on 8 Apr 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Everest Forms plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions up to, and including, 3.4.3 via deserialization of untrusted input from form entry metadata. This is due to the html-admin-page-entries-view.php file calling PHP's native unserialize() on stored entry meta values without passing the allowed_classes parameter. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject a serialized PHP object payload through any public Everest Forms form field. The payload survives sanitize_text_field() sanitization (serialization control characters are not stripped) and is stored in the wp_evf_entrymeta database table. When an administrator views entries or views an individual entry, the unsafe unserialize() call processes the stored data without class restrictions.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-3296?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-3296?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-3296 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-3296 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-3296 exists.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2026-3296 is a CVSS 9.8 Critical unauthenticated PHP Object Injection vulnerability in the Everest Forms WordPress plugin (github_poc): https://github.com/xxconi/CVE-2026-3296
- Everest Forms WordPress Plugin <= 3.4.3 - PHP Object Injection (nuclei): http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-3296.yaml

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-3296 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-3296 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in wpeverest Everest Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form, Quiz, Survey & Custom Form Builder, published on 8 Apr 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-3296 exists.

Affected product: wpeverest Everest Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form, Quiz, Survey & Custom Form Builder. 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-2026-3296/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-3296/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-3296
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-3296
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-3296

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-3296/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.