CVE-2025-32519: Themeatelier Idonate LFI Vulnerability

CVE-2025-32519 Overview

CVE-2025-32519 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the ThemeAtelier IDonate WordPress plugin. This vulnerability stems from improper control of filename parameters in PHP include/require statements, allowing attackers to include arbitrary local files on the server. The flaw enables unauthenticated attackers to read sensitive configuration files, potentially exposing database credentials, API keys, and other critical system information, and may facilitate further attacks including remote code execution under certain conditions.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to perform local file inclusion attacks on WordPress sites running the IDonate plugin, potentially leading to complete site compromise, sensitive data exposure, and remote code execution.

Affected Products

• ThemeAtelier IDonate versions through 2.1.8
• WordPress installations with the IDonate donation plugin installed
• Sites using IDonate for donation management functionality

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-04-11 - CVE-2025-32519 published to NVD
• 2025-12-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-32519

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). The IDonate plugin fails to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied input before using it in PHP file inclusion operations. This allows attackers to manipulate the included file path, enabling them to include arbitrary local files from the server's filesystem.

Local File Inclusion vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins are particularly dangerous because they can be leveraged to read sensitive WordPress configuration files such as wp-config.php, which contains database credentials and authentication keys. In many configurations, LFI can be escalated to Remote Code Execution through various techniques including log poisoning, session file inclusion, or by including uploaded files with malicious PHP code.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient input validation in the IDonate plugin's file inclusion logic. The plugin accepts user-controlled parameters that are directly used in PHP include() or require() statements without adequate sanitization or path restriction checks. This allows attackers to use directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../) to navigate outside the intended directory and include arbitrary files accessible to the web server process.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network without authentication. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests to the vulnerable WordPress site, manipulating parameters that control file inclusion paths. By including directory traversal sequences in these parameters, the attacker can force the server to include sensitive system files.

Typical attack scenarios include:

• Reading WordPress configuration files to obtain database credentials
• Accessing server configuration files like /etc/passwd to enumerate system users
• Including PHP session files or log files containing attacker-controlled content to achieve code execution
• Exfiltrating sensitive plugin or theme configuration data

The exploitation does not require any user interaction, making this a severe vulnerability that can be exploited through automated scanning and attack tools. For detailed technical information, see the Patchstack iDonate Plugin Vulnerability advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-32519

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests containing directory traversal patterns (../, ..%2f, ..%252f) targeting the IDonate plugin endpoints
• Web server access logs showing requests with encoded path traversal sequences in query parameters
• Failed or successful attempts to access sensitive files like wp-config.php or /etc/passwd through the web application
• Unexpected PHP errors in logs referencing file inclusion failures or permission denied errors for system files

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block directory traversal patterns in requests targeting WordPress plugin directories
• Implement file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized access or modification of sensitive configuration files
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on LFI attack patterns including encoded traversal sequences
• Monitor WordPress error logs for file inclusion warnings or errors that may indicate exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive access logging for the WordPress installation and regularly review logs for suspicious request patterns
• Set up real-time alerting for requests containing known LFI attack signatures targeting the IDonate plugin path (/wp-content/plugins/idonate/)
• Implement anomaly detection for unusual file access patterns by the web server process
• Regularly audit installed plugins for known vulnerabilities using WordPress security scanning tools

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-32519

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the IDonate plugin to the latest available version immediately if a patched version is released by ThemeAtelier
• If no patch is available, deactivate and remove the IDonate plugin until a security update is provided
• Implement WAF rules to block requests containing directory traversal patterns targeting WordPress endpoints
• Rotate any credentials that may have been exposed, including database passwords and WordPress authentication keys in wp-config.php

Patch Information

Site administrators should check for plugin updates through the WordPress admin dashboard or the Patchstack security advisory for the latest remediation guidance. Users running IDonate version 2.1.8 or earlier are affected and should take immediate protective action. Contact ThemeAtelier directly for information about security patches if updates are not visible in the WordPress plugin repository.

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable the IDonate plugin if it is not critical to site operations until an official patch is released
• Implement server-level restrictions using .htaccess or nginx configuration to block access to the vulnerable plugin endpoints
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with LFI protection rules to filter malicious requests before they reach the application
• Restrict file system permissions to limit the web server's ability to read sensitive files outside the WordPress directory

# Apache .htaccess workaround to block suspicious requests to IDonate plugin
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\./) [NC,OR]
    RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\.%2f) [NC,OR]
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} /wp-content/plugins/idonate/.*(\.\./) [NC]
    RewriteRule .* - [F,L]
</IfModule>