CVE-2025-32614: EventON Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2025-32614 Overview

CVE-2025-32614 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the EventON (eventon-lite) WordPress plugin developed by Ashan Perera. The vulnerability stems from improper control of filename for include/require statements in PHP, allowing attackers to include arbitrary local files on the vulnerable server. This weakness (CWE-98) can lead to sensitive information disclosure, arbitrary code execution, and full system compromise.

Critical Impact

Attackers can exploit this LFI vulnerability to read sensitive server files, access configuration data, and potentially execute arbitrary code on WordPress installations running vulnerable versions of EventON.

Affected Products

• EventON (eventon-lite) WordPress Plugin version 2.4 and earlier
• WordPress installations with EventON plugin through version 2.4
• All prior versions of EventON from initial release through 2.4

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-04-11 - CVE-2025-32614 published to NVD
• 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-32614

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability exists due to improper control of filename parameters used in PHP include or require statements within the EventON WordPress plugin. When user-controlled input is passed to file inclusion functions without proper sanitization, attackers can manipulate the file path to include arbitrary local files from the server's filesystem.

The exploitation requires network access and user interaction, but once triggered, it can result in complete compromise of the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. The EPSS data indicates a 2.165% probability of exploitation in the wild, placing this vulnerability in the 84th percentile for exploit likelihood.

Root Cause

The root cause is classified as CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). The EventON plugin fails to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied input before using it in PHP include(), require(), include_once(), or require_once() statements. This allows attackers to traverse directory paths and include sensitive files such as /etc/passwd, wp-config.php, or other configuration files containing database credentials and authentication keys.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based, requiring an attacker to craft malicious HTTP requests to the vulnerable WordPress site. The attacker manipulates parameters that control which file the plugin includes, using directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../) to escape the intended directory and access sensitive files elsewhere on the filesystem.

A typical exploitation scenario involves:

1. Identifying the vulnerable EventON endpoint that accepts file inclusion parameters
2. Crafting a request with directory traversal sequences to target sensitive files
3. Including files such as wp-config.php to extract database credentials
4. Potentially chaining with log poisoning or other techniques to achieve remote code execution

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

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-32614

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests containing directory traversal sequences (../, ..%2f, ..%252f) targeting EventON plugin endpoints
• Access logs showing attempts to include sensitive files like wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, or /etc/shadow
• Unusual file access patterns in WordPress plugin directories
• Suspicious requests to EventON plugin URLs with manipulated file parameters

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block directory traversal patterns in requests to WordPress
• Monitor web server access logs for suspicious path traversal attempts targeting /wp-content/plugins/eventon-lite/
• Implement SentinelOne Singularity to detect file access anomalies and exploitation attempts in real-time
• Use WordPress security plugins to scan for vulnerable plugin versions

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on WordPress installations to capture full request parameters
• Configure alerts for access attempts to sensitive configuration files from web processes
• Monitor for PHP process spawning unexpected child processes that could indicate code execution
• Track file read operations outside of normal web application directories

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-32614

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the EventON (eventon-lite) plugin to the latest patched version immediately
• Audit your WordPress installation for signs of compromise if running affected versions
• Temporarily disable the EventON plugin if an update is not immediately available
• Review server access logs for any exploitation attempts

Patch Information

The vulnerability affects EventON versions through 2.4. Users should update to a version newer than 2.4 where the file inclusion vulnerability has been addressed. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for specific patch details and remediation guidance.

Workarounds

• Implement WAF rules to block requests containing directory traversal patterns (../, encoded variants)
• Restrict PHP open_basedir to limit which directories PHP can access
• Apply principle of least privilege to web server file permissions
• Use SentinelOne to monitor and block suspicious file access attempts at the endpoint level

# Apache .htaccess rule to block directory traversal attempts
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\./|\.\.\\) [NC]
RewriteRule .* - [F,L]

# PHP open_basedir restriction in php.ini or .user.ini
# Restricts PHP file access to WordPress directory only
open_basedir = /var/www/html/wordpress/