CVE-2025-68870: 
WordPress vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2025-68870 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the CookieHint WP WordPress plugin developed by reDim GmbH, affecting all versions up to and including 1.0.0. The flaw is classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program) and was reported by researcher Nguyen Xuan Chien on September 7, 2025, and published on December 25–29, 2025. No official patch is currently available from the vendor. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (High) (Patchstack, Red Hat CVE).

The vulnerability stems from improper control of filenames used in PHP include/require statements within the CookieHint WP plugin (CWE-98), enabling PHP Local File Inclusion. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this via a network-based attack, though successful exploitation requires user interaction (e.g., a privileged user clicking a malicious link or visiting a crafted page). The attack complexity is rated High, meaning specific conditions must be met, but no privileges are required on the target system. The vulnerability is classified under OWASP Top 10 category A1: Injection (Patchstack).

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to include and expose arbitrary local files from the WordPress server, potentially revealing sensitive data such as database credentials, configuration files (e.g., wp-config.php), and other server-side resources. According to Patchstack, files storing credentials could enable complete database takeover depending on server configuration. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are all rated High, meaning a successful attack could lead to full compromise of the affected WordPress site (Patchstack).

No official patch is available as of the disclosure date, and Patchstack has noted that vulnerabilities of this type are commonly used in mass-exploit campaigns targeting thousands of websites regardless of size or popularity. The EPSS score is approximately 0.00114 (~0.11%), indicating a currently 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, and the vulnerability does not appear in the CISA KEV catalog at this time. Patchstack has issued a virtual patching/mitigation rule to block attacks until an official fix is released (Patchstack).

1. Reconnaissance: Identify WordPress sites running the CookieHint WP plugin version ≤ 1.0.0 using tools like WPScan, Shodan, or by inspecting plugin directories (/wp-content/plugins/cookiehint-wp/).
2. Craft malicious payload: Construct a URL or form submission that manipulates a filename parameter handled by the plugin's PHP include/require statement to reference a sensitive local file (e.g., ../../../../wp-config.php).
3. Trigger user interaction: Since exploitation requires user interaction, deliver the crafted link or page to a privileged WordPress user (e.g., via phishing or social engineering) to trigger the vulnerable code path.
4. Extract sensitive data: Upon successful inclusion, the server returns the contents of the targeted local file, potentially exposing database credentials, API keys, or other configuration secrets that can be leveraged for further compromise (Patchstack).

• Network: Unusual HTTP requests to WordPress endpoints associated with the CookieHint WP plugin containing path traversal sequences (e.g., ../, %2e%2e%2f) in query parameters or POST body fields.
• Logs: WordPress or web server access logs showing requests with encoded path traversal patterns targeting plugin-related endpoints; repeated requests from a single IP to plugin URLs with varying file path parameters.
• File System: Unexpected access to sensitive files such as wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, or other system files reflected in server error logs or PHP error logs.
• Process: PHP error log entries indicating failed or successful file inclusion attempts referencing paths outside the plugin directory.

No official patch from reDim GmbH is currently available for CookieHint WP. The recommended immediate action is to deactivate and remove the CookieHint WP plugin until a patched version is released. Patchstack has issued a virtual patching rule for its subscribers that blocks exploitation attempts in the interim. Site administrators unable to remove the plugin should consult their hosting provider or web developer, and consider deploying a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules targeting LFI patterns (Patchstack).

Wordfence included CVE-2025-68870 in its weekly WordPress vulnerability report covering December 15, 2025 to January 4, 2026, highlighting it among notable plugin vulnerabilities (Wordfence Blog). The vulnerability was also noted by INCIBE-CERT (Spain's national cybersecurity incident response center) in its early warning alerts (INCIBE). Social media activity on Bluesky and other platforms was limited to automated CVE tracking accounts, with no significant researcher commentary or broader community discussion observed.