WP Ultimate CSV Importer <= 7.9.8 - Arbitrary Usermeta Update to Authenticated (Author+) Privilege Escalation
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Privilege escalation
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-269.
Summary
The WP Ultimate CSV Importer plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation in versions up to, and including, 7.9.8 due to insufficient restriction on the 'get_header_values' function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with minimal permissions such as an author, if the administrator previously grants access in the plugin settings, to modify their user role by supplying the 'wp_capabilities->cus1' parameter.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| smackcoders | WP Ultimate CSV Importer – Import CSV, XML & Excel into WordPress | up to 7.9.8 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- WP Ultimate CSV Importer – Import CSV, XML & Excel into WordPress Vendorsmackcoders Affected up to 7.9.8 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:smackcoders:wp_ultimate_csv_importer:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:* | up to 7.9.8 | Vulnerable | smackcoders |
- cpe:2.3:a:smackcoders:wp_ultimate_csv_importer:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:* Versions up to 7.9.8 Vulnerable ·smackcoders
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-4140
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-w8cv-px37-3m49
References
More smackcoders Wp Ultimate Csv Importer vulnerabilities
- TI-2023-03834 WP Ultimate CSV Importer <= 7.9.8 - Authenticated (Author+) Remote Code Execution CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2023-03833 WP Ultimate CSV Importer <= 7.9.8 - Authenticated (Author+) PHP File Creation to Remote Code Execution CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2023-03831 WP Ultimate CSV Importer <= 7.9.8 - Sensitive Information Exposure via Directory Listing CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2023-4140 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-4140 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-w8cv-px37-3m49 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences