# CVE-2022-4169: Theme and plugin translation for Polylang <= 3.2.16 - Missing Authorization

> Unauthenticated attackers can modify plugin and theme translation settings due to missing capability checks in the Polylang translation plugin.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Nov 2022
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cxh5-gxxc-xcc4

## What is CVE-2022-4169?

CVE-2022-4169 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in marcinkazmierski Theme and plugin translation for Polylang (TTfP), published on 28 Nov 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Theme and plugin translation for Polylang is vulnerable to authorization bypass in versions up to, and including, 3.2.16 due to missing capability checks in the process_polylang_theme_translation_wp_loaded() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to update plugin and theme translation settings and to import translation strings.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-4169?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Theme and Plugin Translation for Polylang Project Theme and Plugin Translation for Polylang.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-4169?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-4169 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-4169 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-4169 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-4169 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-4169 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in marcinkazmierski Theme and plugin translation for Polylang (TTfP), published on 28 Nov 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-4169 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: marcinkazmierski Theme and plugin translation for Polylang (TTfP). No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4169/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4169/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-4169
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-4169
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-4169

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4169/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.