CVE-2026-16144 json
Kali Forms <= 2.4.20 - Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution via 'thisPermalink' Field Parameter
published 2026-08-01 3 mo ago modified 2026-08-12 2 mo ago also EUVD-2026-51755
- cvss
- 8.1
- version 3.1, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 1.2%
- EPSS 1.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 68%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
The Kali Forms — Contact Form & Drag-and-Drop Builder plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution in all versions up to, and including, 2.4.20 via the _save_data function. This is due to insufficient validation of the 'thisPermalink' field value before it overwrites a trusted callable placeholder, allowing attacker-controlled strings to reach call_user_func() in _save_data(). This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to execute code on the server. Exploitation requires the target form to define a field with a name matching one of the reserved placeholder keys ('thisPermalink', 'entryCounter', or 'submission_link'), as check_if_placeholders_changed() only processes POST keys present in the form's field_type_map.
CISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
- Assessed
- 3 mo ago
Exploit prediction
1.19% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 68% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 3.1 | 8.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
Affected products
- wpchill Kali Forms — Contact Form & Drag-and-Drop Builder
Classification
- Weakness
-
- CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code
- Technology feeds
References
- wordfence.com /threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/9d692aff-8bb2-45bb-9caf-bc33d3ed5b10?source=cve
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /browser/kali-forms/tags/2.4.20/Inc/Frontend/class-form-processor.php#L1033
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /browser/kali-forms/tags/2.4.20/Inc/Frontend/class-form-processor.php#L172
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /browser/kali-forms/tags/2.4.20/Inc/Frontend/class-form-processor.php#L277
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /browser/kali-forms/tags/2.4.20/Inc/Frontend/class-form-processor.php#L976
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /browser/kali-forms/tags/2.4.20/Inc/Frontend/class-form-processor.php#L90
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /browser/kali-forms/tags/2.4.19/Inc/Frontend/class-form-processor.php#L1033
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /browser/kali-forms/tags/2.4.19/Inc/Frontend/class-form-processor.php#L172
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /browser/kali-forms/tags/2.4.19/Inc/Frontend/class-form-processor.php#L277
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /browser/kali-forms/tags/2.4.19/Inc/Frontend/class-form-processor.php#L976
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /browser/kali-forms/tags/2.4.19/Inc/Frontend/class-form-processor.php#L90
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org /changeset?reponame=&old=3623024%40kali-forms&new=3623024%40kali-forms
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2026-16144
- NVD CVE-2026-16144
Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.
CPEs and fixed versions use Anchore's correction of NVD's data: Added CPE configurations because not yet analyzed by NVD.