CVE-2026-76557: WP Import Export Lite SQL Injection Flaw

CVE-2026-76557 Overview

CVE-2026-76557 is a SQL injection vulnerability in the WP Import Export Lite WordPress plugin before version 3.9.33. The plugin fails to sanitize and escape import configuration values before incorporating them into SQL statements. Any user granted import permission by an administrator can inject arbitrary SQL through the import workflow.

The issue is classified under [CWE-89] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command). Because the vulnerability requires elevated privileges granted by an administrator, exploitation is constrained to users who already hold plugin-specific import rights.

Critical Impact
Authenticated users with import permission can execute arbitrary SQL queries against the WordPress database, leading to disclosure of sensitive data including user credentials and session tokens.

Affected Products

WP Import Export Lite WordPress plugin versions before 3.9.33
WordPress installations that have granted the plugin's import permission to non-administrator roles
Any site distributing import capabilities to editor or custom roles via this plugin

Discovery Timeline

2026-09-16 - CVE-2026-76557 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-09-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-76557

Vulnerability Analysis

The WP Import Export Lite plugin processes user-supplied import configuration values and passes them into SQL statements without adequate sanitization or escaping. This creates a classic second-order or direct SQL injection path depending on the specific configuration field used during the import workflow.

Attackers with import permission can craft malicious configuration values that break out of the intended SQL context. Successful exploitation allows enumeration of database contents, including the wp_users table, session tokens, and plugin secrets. The attack can pivot from a low-tier authenticated role toward full administrator compromise if password hashes are exfiltrated.

The scope-changed CVSS metric reflects the ability of the injection to reach data beyond the plugin's own tables, affecting the entire WordPress database schema.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing use of $wpdb->prepare() or equivalent parameterized query construction. Import configuration parameters are concatenated directly into SQL statements, allowing metacharacters such as single quotes and UNION keywords to alter query semantics. WordPress provides sanitization helpers, but the plugin's import handler does not invoke them for the affected fields.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires an authenticated session with the plugin's import permission granted by an administrator. The attacker navigates to the import configuration interface and submits crafted values in fields that flow into database queries. No user interaction from a victim is required, and the attack originates over the network via the standard WordPress admin interface.

The vulnerability manifests when the plugin persists or evaluates the malicious configuration during an import operation. Refer to the WPScan Vulnerability Detail for the specific parameters and endpoints involved.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-76557

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected UNION SELECT, SLEEP(, BENCHMARK(, or INFORMATION_SCHEMA strings in web server access logs targeting WP Import Export Lite admin endpoints
New or modified rows in wp_users or wp_usermeta that do not correlate with administrator actions
Import configuration entries containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, comment sequences (--, #), or stacked queries
Outbound database errors surfaced in PHP error logs referencing malformed queries originating from the plugin's import handler

Detection Strategies

Review WordPress audit logs for import configuration changes made by non-administrator accounts holding the plugin's import capability
Query the database for any WP Import Export Lite plugin version below 3.9.33 across managed WordPress fleets
Deploy a web application firewall rule set that flags SQL injection patterns targeting plugin-specific admin-ajax and admin-post endpoints

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable WordPress debug logging with WP_DEBUG_LOG to capture database query errors from the import workflow
Forward web server and PHP error logs to a centralized analytics platform for correlation with authenticated user sessions
Monitor for privilege escalation events, particularly new administrator account creation shortly after import operations

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-76557

Immediate Actions Required

Update the WP Import Export Lite plugin to version 3.9.33 or later on all WordPress installations
Audit which roles have been granted the plugin's import permission and revoke it from any account that does not require it
Rotate WordPress administrator passwords and invalidate active sessions if untrusted users held import permission before patching

Patch Information

The vendor addressed the vulnerability in WP Import Export Lite version 3.9.33 by adding proper sanitization and escaping of import configuration values before they are used in SQL statements. Site administrators should apply the update through the WordPress plugin repository. Details are documented in the WPScan Vulnerability Detail.

Workarounds

Restrict the plugin's import permission to administrator accounts only until patching completes
Temporarily deactivate the WP Import Export Lite plugin on sites where an immediate upgrade is not feasible
Deploy WAF rules to block SQL injection payloads on WordPress admin endpoints used by the plugin

bash

# Configuration example: identify vulnerable plugin versions via WP-CLI
wp plugin list --name=wp-import-export-lite --field=version
wp plugin update wp-import-export-lite --version=3.9.33