CVE-2025-67532: 
WordPress vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2025-67532 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the thembay Hara WordPress theme, affecting all versions up to and including 1.2.17. The flaw stems from improper control of filename parameters used in PHP include/require statements (CWE-98). It was reported by João Pedro S Alcântara (Kinorth) on November 20, 2025, and publicly disclosed on December 15, 2025. The NVD assigns a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (Critical), while Patchstack rates it at 7.5 with a low exploitation priority (Patchstack, Feedly).

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program), which enables PHP Local File Inclusion. An unauthenticated or low-privileged attacker can manipulate user-controlled input that is passed unsanitized to a PHP include() or require() statement within the Hara theme, causing the server to include arbitrary local files. Exploitation requires no authentication and no user interaction, making it remotely triggerable over the network with low attack complexity. The required privilege level is noted as Contributor/Developer in Patchstack's advisory, suggesting some access may be needed in certain exploitation paths (Patchstack).

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to read arbitrary local files on the server, including sensitive configuration files such as WordPress wp-config.php (which contains database credentials), potentially enabling complete database takeover. Beyond credential theft, LFI vulnerabilities can be chained with log poisoning or other techniques to achieve remote code execution, leading to full compromise of the WordPress site and potentially the underlying server infrastructure. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability are all rated as high impact per the NVD CVSS score (Patchstack).

No public proof-of-concept exploit code has been observed, and there is no evidence of active in-the-wild exploitation at this time. The EPSS score is approximately 0.053%, indicating a low probability of exploitation in the near term. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. Patchstack classifies the exploitation priority as low, noting it is unlikely to be exploited despite the critical NVD CVSS score (Patchstack).

1. Reconnaissance: Identify WordPress sites using the Hara theme (version ≤ 1.2.17) via passive scanning tools (e.g., WPScan, Shodan) or by inspecting theme metadata in page source.
2. Identify vulnerable parameter: Locate the theme's file inclusion mechanism — a parameter passed to a PHP include() or require() call without proper sanitization.
3. Craft malicious request: Submit an HTTP request with a manipulated file path parameter (e.g., using path traversal sequences like ../../) targeting sensitive files such as /etc/passwd or wp-config.php.
4. Retrieve file contents: The server processes the inclusion and returns the contents of the targeted local file in the HTTP response, exposing credentials or other sensitive data.
5. Escalate (optional): Use retrieved database credentials or session tokens to gain further access, or chain the LFI with log poisoning to achieve remote code execution (Patchstack).

• Network: Unusual HTTP GET or POST requests to WordPress pages using the Hara theme containing path traversal sequences (e.g., ../, ..%2F, %2e%2e%2f) in query parameters or form fields.
• Logs: Web server access logs showing requests with file path parameters referencing sensitive files (e.g., wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow); repeated 200 responses to such requests may indicate successful inclusion.
• File System: Unexpected new files (e.g., web shells) in the WordPress theme directory or uploads folder if LFI is chained with file upload for code execution.
• Process: Unusual child processes spawned by the web server process (e.g., php, apache2, nginx) executing system commands, which may indicate LFI-to-RCE escalation.

The primary remediation is to update the Hara WordPress theme to version 1.2.18 or later, which contains the fix for this vulnerability (Patchstack). If an immediate update is not possible, site administrators should implement strict input validation and use allowlists for any file inclusion parameters, apply the principle of least privilege to the web server process, and deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block path traversal and file inclusion attempts. Regularly auditing theme code for unsanitized file inclusion calls is also recommended.

Wordfence included CVE-2025-67532 in its weekly WordPress vulnerability report covering December 15, 2025 to January 4, 2026, indicating routine tracking by the WordPress security community (Wordfence). No significant broader media coverage or notable researcher commentary beyond standard vulnerability database entries has been observed.