Who’s Really Behind That Contact Form?
Your website’s contact form might seem harmless—just a way for clients or donors to get in touch. But to attackers, that form is a potential gateway into your systems, your inbox, and your business. If it’s not properly secured, you could be dealing with more than just spam.
Why Contact Forms Are a Target
Here’s what attackers (or bots) look for:
- Open relays to send spam or phishing messages
- Injection vulnerabilities that can run malicious code
- Lead harvesting from forms that forward submissions via email
- Data theft from forms collecting sensitive info without encryption
Many small orgs unknowingly expose their forms—sometimes even allowing them to be used as launchpads for attacks on other businesses.
Real-World Risks from Insecure Forms
- A nonprofit collects volunteer info but doesn’t use CAPTCHA. Bots flood it with junk and porn links.
- A small business uses a basic plugin that forwards form entries to email with no validation—hundreds of fake leads later, their email domain ends up blacklisted.
- A WordPress contact form plugin with an unpatched bug lets a remote attacker inject scripts and get admin access. Game over.
7 Steps to Lock Down Your Contact Forms
- Use CAPTCHA or reCAPTCHA
Yes, people hate it. But it works. You can also add invisible CAPTCHA or honeypot fields to keep the user experience smooth. - Validate Inputs (Client and Server Side)
Never assume what users enter is safe. Strip out dangerous code, limit field lengths, and sanitize input. - Use HTTPS Always
Submissions should never travel unencrypted—especially if you’re collecting phone numbers, emails, or anything sensitive. - Avoid Email-Only Handling
Forwarding form entries to an inbox is fine—but also log them securely on the site, and don’t rely solely on email delivery. - Limit Sensitive Data Collection
Don’t ask for things you don’t need. And if you’re collecting anything sensitive, make sure you follow proper data handling laws (HIPAA, GDPR, etc.). - Audit Plugins Regularly
Don’t blindly trust form plugins. Stick with well-supported ones (like WPForms, Gravity Forms), and delete old ones you’re not using. - Restrict Who Can See Submitted Data
If submissions are saved in the admin area, make sure only authorized users can access them.
Want a Quick Check?
Use our Secure Form Setup Guide to review your site’s forms—especially the one at your main contact page.
Download: Secure Form Setup Guide (Word)
Next up: Online Reviews, Public Posts, and Oversharing: A Hacker’s Goldmine
Spoiler alert: Your Facebook page might be leaking more than you think.