CVE-2026-120554 Import and export users and customers <= 2.5.11 - Authenticated (Custom+) Privilege Escalation via Non-Atomic Cron Settings Save
Description
The Import and export users and customers plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 2.5.11 This is due to a non-atomic multi-option write sequence in the `ACUI_Cron::save_settings()` function, which persists `acui_cron_activated`, `acui_cron_configured_by`, `acui_cron_user_id`, and `acui_cron_path_to_file` before reaching the authorization gate that calls `wp_die()` when a non-promoter submits a role. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers holding a custom delegated role with `create_users` but without `promote_users` or `edit_users` to escalate their privileges to Administrator, provided a prior administrator cron-tab save exists and no successful save intervenes before the next unattended cron tick processes the attacker's repointed CSV file.
CVSS 3.1 detail
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitable remotely over the network, with an ordinary account and without any user action; an attacker can seriously compromise confidentiality, integrity or availability.
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- Interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Affected products and versions
| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Import and export users and customers 2.5 | earliest → 2.5.11 | No fix stated |