CVE-2025-1770: Themewinter Eventin RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-1770 Overview

CVE-2025-1770 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the Eventin plugin for WordPress, developed by Themewinter. The plugin, which provides event management, calendars, tickets, and registrations, is vulnerable in all versions up to and including 4.0.24. The flaw resides in the handling of the style parameter and allows authenticated users with Contributor-level access or above to include and execute arbitrary files on the server. Successful exploitation can lead to PHP code execution, access control bypass, and disclosure of sensitive data.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with Contributor privileges can include local files and execute arbitrary PHP code, leading to full site compromise on affected WordPress installations.

Affected Products

Themewinter Eventin plugin for WordPress (all versions through 4.0.24)
WordPress sites with the wp-event-solution plugin installed and active
Sites permitting Contributor-level registration or higher

Discovery Timeline

2025-03-20 - CVE-2025-1770 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-1770

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-22] (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory). The Eventin plugin accepts a style parameter that is passed to PHP file inclusion logic without adequate sanitization or allow-listing. Vulnerable code paths exist in the events calendar widget at widgets/events-calendar/events-calendar.php and the upcoming event tab widget at widgets/upcoming-event-tab/style/tab-1.php. Because the parameter value is used to build a filesystem path for inclusion, an attacker can traverse directories and load files outside the intended template directory.

Root Cause

The root cause is unsanitized user-controlled input flowing into a PHP include or require statement. The plugin trusts the style parameter supplied through widget rendering and does not validate it against a fixed set of permitted template names. Attackers can supply traversal sequences such as ../ to reference arbitrary .php files on the server, which PHP then parses and executes.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires authentication at Contributor level or above, a tier that is broadly available on multi-author WordPress sites. The attacker submits a crafted request that supplies a malicious style value to the vulnerable widget endpoint. PHP then includes and executes the targeted file. When combined with WordPress media uploads, an attacker can upload an image containing embedded PHP, then reference it through the style parameter to achieve remote code execution. The vendor remediation is recorded in WordPress Changeset 3257023, with additional analysis available in the Wordfence Vulnerability Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-1770

Indicators of Compromise

Web server access logs containing style= parameter values with directory traversal sequences such as ../ or absolute paths.
Unexpected PHP errors referencing files outside the wp-event-solution plugin directory.
Recently uploaded media files containing PHP code in the WordPress uploads directory.
Outbound network connections from the web server process initiated shortly after Eventin widget requests.

Detection Strategies

Inspect HTTP requests targeting Eventin widget endpoints for non-standard values in the style parameter.
Hunt for file inclusion patterns where the included path resolves outside the plugin's widgets/ directory.
Correlate Contributor-level authentication events with subsequent widget rendering requests containing suspicious parameters.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable WordPress audit logging to track Contributor account creation and post submissions.
Monitor the uploads directory for files with PHP shebangs or <?php markers regardless of file extension.
Alert on web shell behavior such as system, exec, or passthru calls originating from the PHP-FPM worker.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-1770

Immediate Actions Required

Update the Eventin plugin to a version released after 4.0.24 that incorporates the fix from WordPress Changeset 3257023.
Audit existing WordPress user accounts and remove unused Contributor, Author, or Editor accounts.
Review the uploads directory and media library for unauthorized PHP-bearing files.

Patch Information

Themewinter addressed the vulnerability in the version following 4.0.24. The patch validates the style parameter against an allow-list of permitted template files before inclusion. Administrators should apply the update through the WordPress plugin dashboard or by replacing the plugin files via SFTP. Confirm the installed version reports higher than 4.0.24 after the upgrade.

Workarounds

Disable the Eventin plugin until the patched version is applied if event functionality is not business-critical.
Restrict Contributor and higher role assignments to vetted users only.
Deploy a web application firewall rule to block requests containing ../ or absolute paths in the style query parameter.
Configure PHP open_basedir to limit file inclusion to the WordPress installation directory.

bash

# Configuration example: restrict PHP file inclusion via open_basedir
# Add to php.ini or site-specific PHP-FPM pool configuration
open_basedir = "/var/www/html/:/tmp/"
disable_functions = "exec,passthru,shell_exec,system,proc_open,popen"