CVE-2026-92541 in Import and Export Users and Customers Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/20/2026
The Import and export users and customers WordPress plugin before 2.5.2 does not enforce the promote_users capability in its front-end import functionality, allowing users with only the create_users capability to change the role of existing users, including promoting them to administrator.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2026
The vulnerability identified in the Import and export users and customers WordPress plugin prior to version 2.5.2 represents a critical authorization failure within the application's front-end import functionality. This flaw stems from an insufficient check for administrative privileges when processing user role modifications during data imports. Specifically, the software fails to enforce the promote_users capability, which is a standard requirement in WordPress architecture for changing the roles of existing users. Instead, the system relies on or allows execution by any user possessing only the create_users capability, which should theoretically be limited to adding new accounts rather than modifying existing ones. This discrepancy creates a significant gap between intended access control policies and actual operational behavior, allowing lower-privileged actors to perform actions reserved for high-level administrators.
From a technical perspective, this issue is classified as an Authorization Bypass through User Control of Security-Critical Functionality, aligning with CWE-269 in the Common Weakness Enumeration database. The root cause lies in the plugin's logic flow during the import process, where it validates user permissions but neglects to verify that the current user has explicit permission to promote or demote other users. In a typical WordPress environment, capabilities are hierarchical and strictly enforced by core functions such as wp_insert_user or update_user_role. By bypassing these checks for existing users via the front-end import tool, the plugin effectively grants unauthorized privilege escalation paths. An attacker with access to create new user accounts can leverage this flaw to alter the role of any other account on the system, including those assigned to administrators, editors, or authors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially catastrophic for website security. Since WordPress roles dictate what actions a user can perform within the dashboard, promoting an attacker-controlled account to administrator status grants full control over the site. This includes the ability to install malicious plugins, modify theme files, access sensitive database information, and execute arbitrary code if combined with other vulnerabilities or misconfigurations. Furthermore, because this occurs through the front-end import functionality, it may be exploitable by users who do not even need direct dashboard access if they can trigger the import process via API calls or crafted requests that mimic legitimate user interactions. This expands the attack surface beyond traditional authenticated backend scenarios to potentially include any registered user with minimal privileges.
This vulnerability maps directly to several techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly T1078 Valid Accounts and T1098 Manipulated Credentials for account manipulation. The attacker utilizes valid credentials of a low-privileged user to gain higher-level access without needing to exploit authentication flaws or steal passwords through phishing or brute force. This simplifies the attack chain significantly, as many organizations focus heavily on preventing unauthorized login attempts while underestimating risks associated with legitimate but misconfigured accounts. Once elevated privileges are obtained, subsequent steps such as persistence establishment and data exfiltration become trivial for the adversary.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate remediation through software updates. Administrators running versions of the Import and export users and customers plugin before 2.5.2 should upgrade to version 2.5.2 or later where this authorization check has been corrected. In cases where updating is not immediately feasible, temporary mitigations include disabling the front-end import feature if it is not essential for business operations. Additionally, implementing strict role-based access control policies and regularly auditing user roles can help detect unauthorized promotions early. Security teams should also monitor logs for unusual changes in user capabilities or unexpected administrative actions originating from low-privileged accounts to identify potential exploitation attempts in real time.