CVE-2026-22370: 
WordPress vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2026-22370 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the axiomthemes Marveland WordPress theme, classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). It affects all versions of the Marveland theme up to and including 1.3.0, and can be exploited by unauthenticated remote attackers. The vulnerability was reported by Tran Nguyen Bao Khanh (VCI - VNPT Cyber Immunity) on November 30, 2025, and publicly disclosed on February 17–20, 2026. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (High) (Patchstack, Feedly).

The root cause is improper control of filename parameters used in PHP include/require statements (CWE-98), allowing an attacker to manipulate file path inputs to include arbitrary local files on the server. Because no authentication is required and user interaction is not needed, an attacker can send a crafted network request directly to a vulnerable endpoint, supplying a malicious filename value that traverses the file system. The attack complexity is rated High, suggesting some precondition or bypass is needed (e.g., specific server configuration or parameter encoding), but no privileges are required. No public proof-of-concept code has been identified at this time (Patchstack, Feedly).

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to include and render arbitrary local files from the web server, potentially exposing sensitive data such as WordPress configuration files (wp-config.php) containing database credentials, which could lead to full database compromise. The vulnerability has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability — an attacker could read sensitive files, execute malicious code if combined with a file upload or log poisoning technique, and disrupt the web application. Sites of any size or traffic level are at risk, as this class of vulnerability is commonly used in mass-exploit campaigns (Patchstack, Feedly).

There is currently no public proof-of-concept exploit and no confirmed evidence of in-the-wild exploitation (Feedly). The EPSS score is approximately 0.0015 (0.15%), indicating a low but non-negligible probability of exploitation in the near term. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. Patchstack notes that vulnerabilities of this class (LFI with no authentication required) are frequently leveraged in mass-exploit campaigns targeting WordPress sites (Patchstack).

1. Reconnaissance: Identify WordPress sites using the Marveland theme (version ≤ 1.3.0) via passive scanning tools (e.g., WPScan, Shodan, or Google dorks targeting theme-specific assets).
2. Identify vulnerable parameter: Analyze the theme's PHP source code or HTTP responses to locate endpoints that accept filename or template parameters passed to PHP include/require statements.
3. Craft malicious request: Send an unauthenticated HTTP request to the vulnerable endpoint with a manipulated filename parameter using path traversal sequences (e.g., ../../../../wp-config.php) to reference sensitive local files.
4. Extract sensitive data: Review the HTTP response for the contents of the included file — for example, wp-config.php would expose database credentials (DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, DB_HOST).
5. Escalate (optional): Combine LFI with log poisoning or an existing file upload to achieve Remote Code Execution (RCE) by including a file containing attacker-controlled PHP code (Patchstack, Feedly).

• Network: Unusual HTTP GET or POST requests to Marveland theme endpoints containing path traversal sequences (e.g., ../, ..%2F, %2e%2e%2f) in filename or template parameters; repeated requests from a single IP to theme-related PHP files.
• Logs: Apache/Nginx access logs showing requests with encoded traversal strings targeting theme endpoints; HTTP 200 responses to requests containing wp-config, /etc/passwd, or similar sensitive file references.
• File System: Unexpected PHP files or web shells written to the theme directory or uploads folder (if LFI is chained with file upload).
• Process: Unusual PHP child processes spawned by the web server user (e.g., www-data) executing shell commands, which may indicate successful code execution via log poisoning chained with LFI (Patchstack).

No official patch from axiomthemes is currently available for the Marveland theme (Patchstack). Recommended actions include: (1) Disable or remove the Marveland theme until a patched version is released; (2) Deploy a WAF rule — Patchstack has issued a virtual patch/mitigation rule to block exploitation attempts for subscribers; (3) Implement strict input validation on any filename parameters accepted by the theme; (4) Monitor access logs for path traversal patterns; (5) Contact axiomthemes directly for remediation guidance and patch availability (Patchstack, Feedly).

The vulnerability was covered in Wordfence's weekly WordPress vulnerability report for the period of February 16–22, 2026, highlighting it as part of a broader set of WordPress theme and plugin vulnerabilities (Wordfence). Social media mentions appeared on Mastodon and Bluesky via TheHackerWire shortly after disclosure, indicating moderate community awareness. Patchstack flagged it as high priority and noted the risk of mass-exploit campaigns targeting this class of vulnerability (Patchstack).