CVE-2025-28990: SNS Vicky Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2025-28990 Overview

CVE-2025-28990 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the SNS Vicky WordPress theme developed by snstheme. The vulnerability stems from improper control of filename parameters used in PHP include/require statements, allowing attackers to include arbitrary local files from the server. This can lead to sensitive information disclosure, configuration file exposure, and potentially remote code execution through log poisoning or other chained attack techniques.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this Local File Inclusion vulnerability to read sensitive server files, potentially exposing database credentials, WordPress configuration secrets, and other critical system information.

Affected Products

• SNS Vicky WordPress Theme version 3.7 and earlier
• WordPress installations using the snsvicky theme
• All deployments of SNS Vicky theme from snstheme without security patches

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-06-27 - CVE CVE-2025-28990 published to NVD
• 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-28990

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). The SNS Vicky WordPress theme fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before using it in PHP include() or require() statements. This architectural flaw enables attackers to manipulate file path parameters to include arbitrary files from the local filesystem.

The attack can be executed remotely over the network, though it requires specific conditions to be met for successful exploitation. Once exploited, attackers can read sensitive configuration files such as wp-config.php, which contains database credentials, authentication keys, and other security-sensitive information. In more severe scenarios, attackers may chain this LFI with other techniques like log poisoning to achieve remote code execution.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of user-controlled input within PHP include/require statements in the SNS Vicky theme. The theme code fails to implement proper input validation, path sanitization, or whitelist-based file inclusion controls. Without these security measures, user-supplied path traversal sequences (such as ../) can be used to navigate the filesystem and include files outside the intended directory scope.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network without requiring authentication. Attackers can craft malicious HTTP requests containing path traversal payloads targeting vulnerable parameters in the SNS Vicky theme. The attack complexity is considered high as specific conditions and knowledge of the target filesystem structure may be required.

A typical attack would involve:

1. Identifying a vulnerable parameter that accepts file path input
2. Crafting a request with path traversal sequences to escape the web root
3. Including sensitive files such as /etc/passwd, wp-config.php, or application logs
4. Extracting sensitive information or chaining with additional exploits for code execution

For detailed technical information about this vulnerability, refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-28990

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests containing path traversal sequences (../, ..%2f, %2e%2e/) targeting SNS Vicky theme endpoints
• Access log entries showing attempts to include system files like /etc/passwd or wp-config.php
• Failed or successful attempts to access theme files with manipulated path parameters
• Unexpected file read operations from the web server process

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block path traversal patterns in requests to WordPress theme files
• Monitor web server access logs for suspicious requests containing encoded or plain path traversal sequences
• Deploy file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized access to sensitive configuration files
• Use intrusion detection systems configured with rules for LFI attack signatures

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for WordPress and web server access to capture detailed request information
• Set up alerting for any requests to the SNS Vicky theme containing suspicious path components
• Monitor server file access patterns for unexpected reads of system configuration files
• Implement real-time log analysis to detect exploitation attempts in progress

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-28990

Immediate Actions Required

• Immediately audit your WordPress installation to determine if the SNS Vicky theme is installed and identify its version
• If running version 3.7 or earlier, consider temporarily disabling or removing the theme until a patched version is available
• Implement WAF rules to block path traversal attempts targeting theme files
• Review server logs for any signs of exploitation attempts
• Restrict filesystem permissions to limit the impact of potential LFI attacks

Patch Information

There is currently no confirmed patch information available for this vulnerability. Website administrators should monitor the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report and the theme developer's official channels for security updates. Consider migrating to an alternative theme if patches are not released in a timely manner.

Workarounds

• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with rules specifically blocking path traversal attempts and LFI patterns
• Use WordPress security plugins that provide virtual patching capabilities for known vulnerabilities
• Implement open_basedir PHP directive to restrict file inclusion to specific directories
• Configure proper file permissions to ensure sensitive files are not readable by the web server user
• Consider using PHP's disable_functions directive to restrict dangerous functions if not needed

# Configuration example - Add to .htaccess to block common LFI patterns
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\./|\.\.%2f|%2e%2e) [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (\.\./|\.\.%2f|%2e%2e) [NC]
RewriteRule .* - [F,L]
</IfModule>