Vulnerability · CVE-2026-109400
The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.4.1 This is d…
Published Oct 16, 2026 · corrected/updated Oct 16, 2026 · evidence confidence high
The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.4.1 This is due to the plugin registering its admin page via using a role name returned by as the required capability — which WordPress resolves as a real capability match for any user holding that role — combined with rendering the master API key from the option directly as the attribute of a plain-text HTML input with no additional or equivalent capability check. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access and above to read the plaintext master API key, use its SHA-256-derived secret as a bearer token accepted by the plugin's REST API , and call to mint a 30-second single-use login URL that sets an administrator authentication cookie — fully escalating their privileges. Exploitation requires the site to be actively connected to InstaWP and an administrator to have added the attacker's role to the plugin's Sync Tab Access list ( ); notably, the settings tab suppression logic only hides the tab when is absent from the list entirely, meaning a mixed configuration retaining administrator alongside a lower role still serves the full settings page — including the API key — to the lower-privileged user.
Grounded briefings
Catalog interpretations for three audiences. Each brief cites ingested metadata and the original advisories below. They are not independent research and they do not invent exploit steps.
Executive
CVE-2026-109400 is a high public vulnerability record for this product. It is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited catalog. Check the linked vendor or CERT advisories for patch status. This summary is a catalog interpretation of the ingested metadata and cites the original advisories below.
System administrator
Identify whether this product is in your estate, then compare installed versions with the affected ranges. Affected version ranges have not been ingested yet. Check the linked vendor or CERT advisories for patch status. Prefer the vendor or distribution advisory linked in Sources before changing production systems. This is a catalog interpretation, not a runbook.
Security analyst
Signals on file: CVSS 7.5, EPSS 0.4%. It is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited catalog. Weakness classes: CWE-269. Sources contributing to this record: cve_org, epss, nvd. Public exploit references, when present, are outbound links only and are not proof of active exploitation. This is a catalog interpretation of stored metadata.
Exploitation and remediation
Exploitation evidence
Not listed as known exploited in CISA KEV. Not in CISA KEV or VulnCheck KEV.
Patch and remediation
No required-action text is stored yet. Use the vendor or CERT links in Sources for patch availability.
Safe detection guidance
Compare installed versions with the affected ranges below and verify the advisory from the original publisher. This site stores metadata and outbound links only; it does not ship exploit code or proof-of-concept payloads.
Technology hubs
Code
The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
Oct 16, 2026 · NIST NVD
Detected
The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.4.1 This is due to the plugin registering its admin page via using a role name returned by as the required capability — which WordPress resolves as a real capability match for any user holding that role — combined with rendering the master API ke
Sources
- CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-109400
Official CVE identifier
cve.org - FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-109400
30-day exploitation probability 0.4%
first.org - NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-109400
The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.4.1 This is due to the plugin registering its admin page via using a role name returned by `InstaWP_Se
nvd.nist.gov