CVE-2025-49070: 
WordPress vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2025-49070 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the NasaTheme Elessi WordPress theme, classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). It affects all versions of the Elessi theme prior to 6.4.1 and was published on July 4, 2025, with the CVE assigned by Patchstack. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (High) (Red Hat CVE, Patchstack).

The root cause is improper validation of user-supplied input used in PHP include/require statements within the Elessi theme (CWE-98), allowing an attacker to manipulate the filename parameter to include arbitrary local files from the server. The attack vector is network-based, requires low privileges, no user interaction, and has high attack complexity, suggesting some precondition such as authentication or a specific application state must be met. Exploitation follows the CAPEC-193 (PHP Remote File Inclusion) pattern, though in this case the impact is local file inclusion rather than remote code execution via remote file. No public proof-of-concept code has been identified at this time (Red Hat CVE, Patchstack).

Successful exploitation of this LFI vulnerability can result in high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts on the affected WordPress installation. An attacker could read sensitive server-side files (e.g., WordPress wp-config.php containing database credentials), potentially escalate to remote code execution if combined with file upload or log poisoning techniques, and disrupt site availability. The scope is limited to the affected system, but credential exposure could enable lateral movement to connected databases or hosting infrastructure (Red Hat CVE).

No public exploit code or active in-the-wild exploitation has been reported for CVE-2025-49070 as of the available data. The EPSS score is approximately 0.127%, indicating a low probability of exploitation in the near term. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. No threat actor attribution has been identified (Red Hat CVE, Patchstack).

The vendor NasaTheme has released Elessi theme version 6.4.1, which addresses this vulnerability. WordPress site administrators running any version of the Elessi theme prior to 6.4.1 should update immediately via the WordPress admin dashboard or by downloading the patched theme from the official source. No configuration-based workaround has been publicly documented; upgrading to version 6.4.1 or later is the recommended remediation (Patchstack, Red Hat CVE).

The vulnerability was reported and disclosed by Patchstack, which assigned the CVE and published the advisory on July 4, 2025. Wordfence included it in their weekly WordPress vulnerability report covering June 30 – July 6, 2025, indicating routine community tracking of the issue (Wordfence Blog). No significant social media discussion or notable researcher commentary beyond standard vulnerability aggregation has been observed.