Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A WordPress listing plugin could let a logged-in Author or higher place dangerous spreadsheet content into data that an administrator later exports as CSV. If that CSV is opened in a vulnerable spreadsheet setup, the impact can move from a website issue to compromise of the administrator's local machine.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation on public or multi-user WordPress sites where non-staff users can create listings or hold Author-level roles. Business urgency is high when administrators routinely export CSVs and open them locally.
Technical view
CVE-2023-5527 is a CSV injection flaw in Business Directory Plugin for WordPress up to and including 6.4.3, tied to CSV exporter handling. The issue maps to CWE-1236 and has CVSS 7.4. Impact depends on attacker-controlled content being included in administrator-exported CSV data and opened in a vulnerable local configuration.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on WordPress sites running Business Directory Plugin version 6.4.3 or older where untrusted users have Author-level or higher accounts and administrators export directory data to CSV.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited active exploitation. The attack requires authenticated Author-level access or higher, exported CSV content, and a vulnerable local spreadsheet environment when the file is opened.
Researcher notes
Evidence comes from the CVE record, Wordfence entry, CleanTalk research reference, and WordPress Trac exporter/change references. The supplied bundle names vulnerable versions through 6.4.3 but does not explicitly name a fixed version. No KEV evidence is provided.
Mitigation direction
- Update Business Directory Plugin beyond vulnerable versions when vendor guidance confirms the fixed release.
- Restrict Author-level or higher accounts to trusted users only.
- Treat exported CSV files as untrusted, especially from sites with contributor access.
- Avoid opening historical exports in spreadsheet software until risk is reviewed.
- Check vendor and WordPress plugin guidance for the official remediation path.
Validation and detection
- Inventory WordPress sites using Business Directory Plugin and record installed versions.
- Confirm whether any site runs version 6.4.3 or older.
- Review users with Author, Editor, or Administrator roles on affected sites.
- Verify CSV exporter behavior is neutralizing spreadsheet formula content after remediation.
- Review administrator workflows for downloading and opening plugin CSV exports.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-1236: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2023-5527 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L3.13.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.4HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/ed037e94-68b4-4efc-9d1a-fffc4aff1c45?source=cveCVE reference
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/business-directory-plugin/trunk/includes/admin/class-csv-exporter.phpCVE reference
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/business-directory-plugin/trunk/includes/admin/helpers/csv/class-csv-exporter.phpCVE reference
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3102475/business-directory-plugin/trunk/includes/admin/helpers/csv/class-csv-exporter.phpCVE reference
- https://research.cleantalk.org/cve-2023-5527/CVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File
Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.