Missing authorization in metaphorcreations Post Duplicator
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · Low · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-862.
Summary
The Post Duplicator plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized arbitrary protected post meta insertion in all versions up to, and including, 3.0.8. This is due to the `duplicate_post()` function in `includes/api.php` using `$wpdb->insert()` directly to the `wp_postmeta` table instead of WordPress's standard `add_post_meta()` function, which would call `is_protected_meta()` to prevent lower-privileged users from setting protected meta keys (those starting with `_`). This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary protected post meta keys such as `_wp_page_template`, `_wp_attached_file`, and other sensitive meta keys on duplicated posts via the `customMetaData` JSON array parameter in the `/wp-json/post-duplicator/v1/duplicate-post` REST API endpoint.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| metaphorcreations | Post Duplicator | up to 3.0.8 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Post Duplicator Vendormetaphorcreations Affected up to 3.0.8 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-2301
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wrj5-2cc6-7p8j
References
Other 4
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/e5c86f72-934c-4f3b-ab2a-65df1490ca8a?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/post-duplicator/tags/3.0.6/includes/api.php#L923
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/post-duplicator/tags/3.0.6/includes/api.php#L843
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&new=3463768%40post-duplicator%2Ftrunk&old=3459096%40post-duplicator%2Ftrunk&sfp_email=&sfph_mail=
More metaphorcreations vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-07398 Ditty < 3.1.58 - Unauthenticated SSRF CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
- TI-2024-06224 Ditty 3.1.39-3.1.45 - Author+ Stored XSS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
- TI-2023-03837 Ditty < 3.1.25 - Reflected XSS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
- TI-2024-06219 Ditty < 3.1.45 - Author+ Stored XSS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.4
- TI-2024-12399 Ditty – Responsive News Tickers, Sliders, and Lists < 3.1.52 - Author+ Stored XSS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.8
- TI-2024-08907 Ditty < 3.1.47 - Author+ Stored XSS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-2301 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-2301 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-wrj5-2cc6-7p8j · 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