# CVE-2026-86583: Import and export users and customers plugin privilege escalation

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-86583-the-import-and-export-users-and-customers-plugin-for-wordpress-is  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-23. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-86583 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.8 · Published 2026-09-23

A WordPress plugin that imports and exports user data contains a flaw in how it processes CSV files, allowing authenticated subscribers to gain administrator privileges. An attacker with a basic user account can manipulate their profile fields to trick the import process into granting them admin rights when a site administrator performs a migration. This requires the admin to enable specific import options, making it a significant risk for WordPress sites using this plugin.

Vendors: [WordPress.org](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/wordpress-org).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-86583 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-86583 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-86583?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.8, published 23 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** WordPress.org Import and export users and customers up to and including 2.4.17.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-86583?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-86583 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a web application.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-86583?** Check whether you run WordPress.org Import and export users and customers at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The plugin's CSV export uses NUL byte as the escape character (fputcsv) while the import uses backslash (SplFileObject::fgetcsv default), creating a parser mismatch. An authenticated attacker can craft values in display_name and nickname profile fields such that column alignment is disrupted during re-import, causing the role field to be populated with "administrator". Exploitation requires site admin to initiate export/import workflow with "Update existing users" and "Update roles for existing users" enabled.

## Affected products

- WordPress.org Import and export users and customers up to and including 2.4.17

## Timeline

- 2026-09-23: disclosed

## References

- [https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/import-users-from-csv-with-meta/tags/2.4.17/classes/batch_exporter.php](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/import-users-from-csv-with-meta/tags/2.4.17/classes/batch_exporter.php)
- [https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/import-users-from-csv-with-meta/tags/2.4.17/classes/helper.php](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/import-users-from-csv-with-meta/tags/2.4.17/classes/helper.php)