CVE-2026-76553

Import Export Lite <= 3.9.32 - Authenticated (Admin+) Path Traversal to Arbitrary Directory Deletion

2026-09-14 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 3.9.33
Affected Plugin: WP Import Export Lite
Affected Version: <= 3.9.32
CVSS: 4.9Medium
Weakness type: CWE-73 · External Control of File Name or Path
CVE: CVE-2026-76553

View all WP Import Export Lite vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2026-76553 is a medium-severity External Control of File Name or Path vulnerability in the WP Import Export Lite WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 3.9.32. It carries a CVSS score of 4.9 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Admin level or above. The issue is fixed in version 3.9.33; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2026, reported by mak3bread.

Vulnerability Overview

The Import Export Lite plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Path Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 3.9.32. This is due to insufficient validation of a user supplied path. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with admin-level access and above, to delete arbitrary directories.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality.

CWE-73: External Control of File Name or Path

The product allows user input to control or influence paths or file names that are used in filesystem operations.

Remediation

Update to version 3.9.33, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

An attacker needs Admin access first, so the firewall sees the attempt as traffic from a logged-in account: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. Classes like this one can leave something behind, so the staged malware scanner is the second half: it looks for dropped files and modified code rather than for the request that created them. None of that substitutes for the fix: WP Import Export Lite 3.9.33 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Scanner
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-76553 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/359395ff-a162-40f2-9bf7-54fc6f05fc9a https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-76553

Related records

Other vulnerabilities in WP Import Export Lite

CVSS Vector

4.9

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredHigh
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone

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