dbcve.org
DirectoristWordPress extension · Wpwax

CVE-2023-41798

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-11-07
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 7.7.1 or later.
See remediation →
94/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File vulnerability in wpWax Directorist – WordPress Business Directory Plugin with Classified Ads Listing.This issue affects Directorist – WordPress Business Directory Plugin with Classified Ads Listings: from n/a through 7.7.1.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

This is a CSV Injection (Formula Injection) vulnerability in the Directorist WordPress plugin. When the plugin exports data to CSV format, it fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters (=, +, -, @, tab) at the beginning of cell values. Attackers can embed malicious spreadsheet formulas that execute arbitrary commands or exfiltrate data when users open the CSV in spreadsheet software like Excel or Google Sheets.

MitigationImplement proper escaping of formula characters in CSV exports by prepending a single quote (') or tab character to any value starting with =, +, -, @, or other formula-initiating characters. Update the plugin to version 7.7.2 or later if available.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
DirectoristWordPress extension
Affected:<= 7.7.1

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

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

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm Directorist plugin is installed
    In WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and locate 'Directorist' or check wp-content/plugins/ directory for directorist folder. Note the installed version number.
    Affected if Directorist plugin version is <= 7.7.1 and the plugin is active
  2. Identify CSV export functionality
    Check if Directorist's import/export features are enabled. Look for 'Export' buttons or settings in Directorist > All Extensions or in the directory listing admin pages. Common export endpoints include /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=directorist_export or similar.
    Affected if CSV export functionality is accessible and being used on the site
  3. Inspect exported CSV files for proper escaping
    Trigger a CSV export from Directorist (e.g., export listings, users, or other data). Open the CSV in a text editor and examine the first character of each cell value. Cells starting with =, +, -, @, or tab should be escaped (prepended with a single quote ' or tab character).
    Affected if Any cell value starting with =, +, -, @, or tab character appears WITHOUT a leading quote or escape character in the raw CSV data
  4. Check user-submitted data for formula characters
    Review the database tables used by Directorist (typically wp_posts, wp_postmeta, or custom tables) for entries where fields like title, description, or custom fields contain values beginning with =, +, -, @. Use SQL: SELECT * FROM wp_posts WHERE post_type='at_biz_dir' AND post_title REGEXP '^[=+\-@]';
    Affected if User-submitted content exists in the database starting with formula-initiating characters (=, +, -, @) and this data is included in CSV exports without escaping

You are affected if Directorist version is 7.7.1 or lower AND CSV export is enabled AND exported CSV files contain unescaped formula characters (=, +, -, @) at the start of cell values.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 7.7.1
Interim mitigation

Implement proper escaping of formula characters in CSV exports by prepending a single quote (') or tab character to any value starting with =, +, -, @, or other formula-initiating characters. Update the plugin to version 7.7.2 or later if available.

Recommended fix High confidence

Directorist version 7.7.2 or higher

  1. 1. Backup your WordPress database and files before making any changes.
  2. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins in your WordPress admin dashboard.
  3. 3. Find the Directorist plugin and check if an update is available.
  4. 4. If an update is available, click 'Update Now' to install the latest version.
  5. 5. Alternatively, you can manually download the fixed version from the WordPress plugin repository or from the vendor's website.
  6. 6. After updating, verify the plugin is running on version 7.7.2 or higher.
  7. 7. Test the CSV export functionality to confirm the vulnerability is no longer present.

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Directorist Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
22.0 hours of engineering $3,860
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $6,176.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-41798 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data