CVE-2025-24766: 
WordPress vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2025-24766 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the WordPress theme News Magazine X by WP Royal Themes, classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). It affects all versions of the theme up to and including 1.2.37, and was reported by researcher LVT-tholv2k on June 2, 2025, with public disclosure on July 28, 2025. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (High) (Patchstack, EUVD).

The vulnerability stems from improper validation of user-controlled input used in PHP include/require statements within the News Magazine X theme (CWE-98). An attacker can manipulate a filename parameter to cause the PHP interpreter to include arbitrary local files from the server's filesystem. Exploitation requires user interaction — a privileged user must perform an action such as clicking a malicious link or visiting a crafted page — but no authentication is required on the attacker's side. The vulnerability is classified under OWASP Top 10 category A3: Injection (Patchstack).

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to read arbitrary local files on the web server, including sensitive configuration files such as wp-config.php, which contains database credentials. This could lead to complete database takeover, exposure of secret keys, and potentially further compromise of the WordPress installation or underlying server. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact scores reflect the severity of credential exposure and the potential for full site compromise (Patchstack).

Patchstack rates this vulnerability as high priority and notes it is expected to be used in mass-exploit campaigns targeting thousands of WordPress sites regardless of traffic or popularity. The EPSS score is approximately 0.105%, indicating a relatively low but non-negligible probability of exploitation in the near term. No specific threat actor attribution or confirmed in-the-wild exploitation has been reported at this time, and the vulnerability does not appear in the CISA KEV catalog. Patchstack has issued a virtual patch (mitigation rule) to block exploitation attempts for subscribers (Patchstack).

1. Reconnaissance: Identify WordPress sites using the News Magazine X theme (versions ≤ 1.2.37) via passive scanning tools (e.g., WPScan, Shodan) or by inspecting theme metadata in page source.
2. Craft malicious link: Construct a URL or page that passes a manipulated filename parameter to the vulnerable PHP include/require code path within the theme.
3. Deliver payload via social engineering: Since user interaction is required, send the crafted link to a privileged WordPress user (e.g., administrator) via phishing email or embedded in a comment/message, inducing them to click it.
4. Trigger LFI: When the privileged user visits the crafted URL, the theme's vulnerable code includes the attacker-specified local file (e.g., ../../../../wp-config.php) and renders its contents in the HTTP response.
5. Extract credentials: Parse the response to obtain database credentials, secret keys, or other sensitive data from the included file, enabling further attacks such as database access or authentication bypass (Patchstack).

• Network: HTTP requests containing path traversal sequences (e.g., ../, ..%2F, ....//) in URL parameters directed at WordPress theme endpoints; unusual outbound connections from the web server following theme file requests.
• Logs: WordPress or web server access logs showing requests with encoded or raw directory traversal patterns in query parameters (e.g., ?file=../../../../wp-config.php); repeated 200 responses to such requests from the same IP.
• File System: No direct file artifacts from LFI alone, but evidence of subsequent actions such as new PHP shells or modified theme files if the attacker escalates access after credential theft.
• Application: Unexpected database connection attempts from new IP addresses using credentials stored in wp-config.php; unauthorized admin account creation or plugin installations (Patchstack).

The vendor (WP Royal Themes) has released version 1.2.38 of the News Magazine X theme, which patches this vulnerability. Site administrators should update to version 1.2.38 or later immediately. As an interim measure, Patchstack subscribers benefit from a virtual patch (WAF rule) that blocks exploitation attempts without requiring a theme update. If neither option is immediately available, consider temporarily deactivating the theme or restricting access to the WordPress site until the update can be applied (Patchstack).

Wordfence included CVE-2025-24766 in its weekly WordPress vulnerability report covering July 28 – August 3, 2025, highlighting it among notable theme vulnerabilities. Patchstack, which coordinated disclosure and assigned the CVE, characterized the vulnerability as high priority with mass-exploit campaign potential. No significant broader media coverage or notable researcher commentary beyond these security vendor reports has been identified (Wordfence, Patchstack).