CVE-2026-22412: 
WordPress vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2026-22412 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the Mikado-Themes Eona WordPress theme, classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). It affects Eona theme versions up to and including 1.3, and was published on March 5, 2026, with the CVE assigned by Patchstack. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (High), exploitable remotely without authentication or user interaction (Feedly, Patchstack).

The root cause is improper handling of filenames passed to PHP include/require statements within the Eona theme (CWE-98), which allows an attacker to manipulate the file path parameter to include arbitrary local files from the server's filesystem. The attack vector is network-based, requires no privileges or user interaction, but has high attack complexity. An attacker can craft a malicious HTTP request that causes the vulnerable theme code to include sensitive local PHP files, potentially leading to code execution if writable or attacker-controlled files (e.g., uploaded images containing PHP code) are included (Feedly).

Successful exploitation allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to read sensitive files on the server, including configuration files, database credentials, and other protected data. If the attacker can influence the content of included files (e.g., via file upload functionality), the LFI can escalate to remote code execution, resulting in full system compromise. The vulnerability affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability — all rated HIGH — and could facilitate lateral movement within a hosting environment (Feedly).

There is currently no public proof-of-concept exploit and no evidence of in-the-wild exploitation as of the time of publication. The EPSS score is approximately 0.053%, indicating a low probability of exploitation in the near term. The vulnerability has not been added to the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. No threat actor attribution has been reported (Feedly).

1. Reconnaissance: Identify WordPress sites using the Eona theme (version ≤ 1.3) via passive scanning tools (e.g., WPScan, Shodan) or by inspecting theme metadata in publicly accessible style.css files.
2. Identify vulnerable parameter: Analyze the Eona theme's PHP source code or observed HTTP requests to locate the include/require statement that accepts user-controlled input as a filename.
3. Craft malicious request: Send a crafted HTTP GET or POST request to the vulnerable endpoint with a manipulated file path parameter (e.g., ?file=../../../../etc/passwd or a path to a known sensitive WordPress file such as wp-config.php).
4. Exfiltrate sensitive data: Review the server's response for the contents of the included file, extracting database credentials, API keys, or other sensitive configuration data.
5. Escalate to RCE (if applicable): If the site allows file uploads, upload a file containing PHP code (e.g., disguised as an image), then use the LFI to include that file and achieve remote code execution (Feedly).

• Network: Unusual HTTP requests to WordPress theme endpoints containing path traversal sequences (e.g., ../, ..%2F, %2e%2e%2f) in query parameters or POST body fields.
• Logs: Web server access logs showing requests with encoded or plaintext directory traversal patterns targeting Eona theme PHP files; repeated 200 responses to requests with suspicious file, path, or template parameters.
• File System: Unexpected access to sensitive files such as wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, or other system files by the web server process; newly uploaded files with double extensions (e.g., .php.jpg) in the WordPress uploads directory.
• Process: PHP processes spawning unexpected child processes (e.g., bash, curl, wget) if LFI has been escalated to RCE (Feedly).

No patched version of the Eona theme is currently available. Site administrators should immediately disable the Eona theme if it is not critically required. Additional mitigations include deploying Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block LFI attempts, restricting PHP's allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen directives in php.ini, enforcing strict file system permissions to limit web server access to sensitive files, and monitoring server logs for path traversal patterns. Upgrade to a version above 1.3 as soon as a patch is released by Mikado-Themes (Feedly, Patchstack).

The vulnerability was noted in the Wordfence Intelligence Weekly WordPress Vulnerability Report covering the period of February 23 to March 1, 2026, indicating it received standard coverage within the WordPress security community. No significant vendor statements, notable researcher commentary, or broader media coverage has been identified beyond routine vulnerability disclosure channels (Wordfence).