CVE-2023-4140
WP Ultimate CSV Importer <= 7.9.8 - Arbitrary Usermeta Update to Authenticated (Author+) Privilege Escalation
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
6.6
WP Ultimate CSV Importer <= 7.9.8 - Arbitrary Usermeta Update to Authenticated (Author+) Privilege Escalation
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.
- Record
CVE-2023-4140- CVSS 3.1
- 6.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-54021
6.6
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.
- Record
EUVD-2023-54021- CVSS 3.1
- 6.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-w8cv-px37-3m49
6.6
The WP Ultimate CSV Importer plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation in...
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.
- Record
GHSA-w8cv-px37-3m49- CVSS 3.1
- 6.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
6.6
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.
- Record
CVE-2023-4140- CVSS 3.1
- 6.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-4140 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.6) in Smackcoders Wp Ultimate Csv Importer, published August 4, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.79%, the 56th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/5fdba41f-daa5-44e8-bc47-aa8b7bd31054?source=cve
plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-ultimate-csv-importer/tags/7.9.6/importExtensions/ImportHelpers.php
plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/2944635/wp-ultimate-csv-importer/trunk/wp-ultimate-csv-importer.php
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4140
github.com/advisories/GHSA-w8cv-px37-3m49