CVE-2026-22424: 
WordPress vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2026-22424 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the AncoraThemes Shaha WordPress theme, classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). It affects all versions of the Shaha theme through 1.1.2 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 but requiring high attack complexity (Feedly, Patchstack).

The root cause is improper control of filenames used in PHP include/require statements within the Shaha theme (CWE-98), which allows an attacker to manipulate file path parameters to include arbitrary local files from the server's filesystem. The attack vector is network-based, requiring no privileges or user interaction, though high attack complexity is noted — likely due to specific conditions or parameter constraints that must be met to trigger the inclusion. An unauthenticated remote attacker can craft a malicious HTTP request targeting the vulnerable theme endpoint to cause the PHP interpreter to include and execute an attacker-controlled local file path (Feedly, Patchstack).

Successful exploitation could result in complete compromise of the WordPress installation running the vulnerable Shaha theme, with high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. An attacker could read sensitive local files (e.g., wp-config.php containing database credentials), execute arbitrary PHP code if writable files or upload directories are leveraged, and potentially disrupt service availability. In environments where the web server has broad filesystem access, exploitation could facilitate lateral movement or credential harvesting beyond the WordPress application itself (Feedly).

As of the time of reporting, there is no public proof-of-concept exploit and no evidence of active in-the-wild exploitation. 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 AncoraThemes Shaha theme (version ≤ 1.1.2) 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 Shaha theme's PHP source code or observed HTTP requests to locate the parameter(s) passed to a PHP include/require statement without proper sanitization.
3. Craft malicious request: Construct an HTTP request (GET or POST) targeting the vulnerable endpoint with a manipulated filename parameter pointing to a sensitive local file (e.g., ../../../../wp-config.php or /etc/passwd).
4. Trigger file inclusion: Send the crafted request to the target WordPress installation; if successful, the server will include and return the contents of the specified local file.
5. Escalate access: Use disclosed credentials (e.g., database credentials from wp-config.php) or leverage writable upload directories to achieve remote code execution and further compromise the host (Feedly).

• Network: Unusual HTTP requests to WordPress theme endpoints containing path traversal sequences (e.g., ../, ..%2F, %2e%2e%2f) in query parameters; requests targeting theme PHP files with unexpected file path values.
• Logs: Web server access logs showing requests to Shaha theme PHP files with suspicious parameter values referencing system files (e.g., /etc/passwd, wp-config.php); HTTP 200 responses to requests with traversal patterns.
• File System: Unexpected PHP files or web shells in the WordPress uploads directory; modification timestamps on theme files inconsistent with legitimate updates.
• Process: Unusual child processes spawned by the web server process (e.g., bash, curl, wget) following suspicious theme file requests.

No official patch has been confirmed as available for the Shaha theme at the time of reporting. The recommended immediate action is to disable or remove the AncoraThemes Shaha theme from all affected WordPress installations. If removal is not immediately possible, restrict network access to the WordPress installation using firewall rules or Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules targeting PHP file inclusion patterns (path traversal sequences in parameters). Monitor web server logs for suspicious file inclusion attempts and consider deploying a WAF with rules for LFI attack signatures (Feedly, Patchstack).

Wordfence noted this vulnerability in their weekly WordPress vulnerability report covering the period of February 23 to March 1, 2026, highlighting it as part of broader WordPress ecosystem security coverage (Wordfence). VulDB also catalogued the vulnerability shortly after disclosure. No significant broader media coverage or notable researcher commentary beyond standard vulnerability tracking has been observed.