Is InstaWP Connect safe? Known vulnerabilities and latest version

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in InstaWP InstaWP Connect instawp-connect allows Cross Site Request Forgery.This issue affects InstaWP Connect: from n/a through 0.1.4.2.

The InstaWP Connect WordPress plugin before 0.1.4.2 does not perform a capability check on its InstaWP Connect WordPress plugin before 0.1.4.2-settings update action, verifying only a nonce, allowing an authenticated user holding a low-privileged role that an administrator has granted access to the InstaWP Connect WordPress plugin before 0.1.4.2's sync feature to overwrite the InstaWP Connect WordPress plugin before 0.1.4.2's settings, including the setting controlling which roles may access that feature. The role grant is not enabled by default.

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 `add_management_page()` using a role name returned by `InstaWP_Setting::get_allowed_role()` as the required capability — which WordPress resolves as a real capability match for any user holding that role — combined with `generate_section_field()` rendering the master API key from the `instawp_api_options` option directly as the `value` attribute of a plain-text HTML input with no additional `manage_options` 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 `validate_api_request()`, and call `POST /wp-json/instawp-connect/v2/auto-login` 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 (`instawp_sync_tab_roles`); notably, the settings tab suppression logic only hides the tab when `administrator` 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.

Unauthenticated Broken Access Control in InstaWP Connect <= 0.1.3.7 versions.

The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.3.6 via the (top-level script) function. This is due to the plugin stores its encrypted options file as options-{migrate_key}.txt in wp-content/instawpbackups/ without deploying an index.php or .htaccess to prevent directory listing, exposing the 40-character migrate_key on Apache servers with directory indexing enabled, which allows an attacker to derive the AES-256-CBC passphrase via SHA256(migrate_key), decrypt the options file to recover the api_signature. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to get the database access details and api_signature. Exploitation requires the target WordPress site to be hosted on Apache with directory listing enabled (Options +Indexes) for the wp-content/instawpbackups/ directory, and time limited because it can only be exploited during the migration period.

Missing Authorization vulnerability in InstaWP InstaWP Connect instawp-connect allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects InstaWP Connect: from n/a through <= 0.1.2.5.

Missing Authorization vulnerability in InstaWP InstaWP Connect instawp-connect allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects InstaWP Connect: from n/a through <= 0.1.1.9.

The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.0.85 via the 'instawp-database-manager' parameter. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to include and execute arbitrary files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls, obtain sensitive data, or achieve code execution in cases where php file types can be uploaded and included, or are already present on the filesystem locally. There are currently no known vulnerabilities in this plugin that make file upload possible, meaning this won't be exploitable to achieve remote code execution on most instances with just this plugin alone. Another vulnerability would need to be present on the site allowing arbitrary file upload in order to leverage this to achieve remote code execution.

Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in InstaWP InstaWP Connect instawp-connect allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects InstaWP Connect: from n/a through <= 0.1.0.82.

The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.0.83. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation in the '/migrate/templates/main.php' file. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to include and execute arbitrary files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls, obtain sensitive data, or achieve code execution in cases where images and other “safe” file types can be uploaded and included.

The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authentication bypass in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.0.44. This is due to insufficient verification of the API key. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to log in as any existing user on the site, such as an administrator, if they have access to the username, and to perform a variety of other administrative tasks. NOTE: This vulnerability was partially fixed in 0.1.0.44, but was still exploitable via Cross-Site Request Forgery.

Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerability in InstaWP InstaWP Connect instawp-connect.This issue affects InstaWP Connect: from n/a through <= 0.1.0.38.

The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary option updates due to a missing authorization checks on the REST API calls in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.0.38. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to connect the site to InstaWP API, edit arbitrary site options and create administrator accounts.

Missing Authorization vulnerability in InstaWP InstaWP Connect instawp-connect.This issue affects InstaWP Connect: from n/a through <= 0.1.0.24.

Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability in InstaWP InstaWP Connect instawp-connect.This issue affects InstaWP Connect: from n/a through <= 0.1.0.8.

The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to insufficient file validation in the /wp-json/instawp-connect/v1/config REST API endpoint in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.0.22. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files.

Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') vulnerability in InstaWP InstaWP Connect instawp-connect.This issue affects InstaWP Connect: from n/a through <= 0.1.0.8.

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in InstaWP InstaWP Connect instawp-connect.This issue affects InstaWP Connect: from n/a through <= 0.1.0.9.

Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Sent Data vulnerability in InstaWP InstaWP Connect instawp-connect.This issue affects InstaWP Connect: from n/a through <= 0.1.0.9.

The InstaWP Connect plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of data, modification of data and loss of data due to a missing capability check on the 'events_receiver' function in versions up to, and including, 0.0.9.18. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to add, modify or delete post and taxonomy, install, activate or deactivate plugin, change customizer settings, add or modify or delete user including administrator user.