CVE-2025-47474: Anarkali Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2025-47474 Overview

CVE-2025-47474 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the Ninetheme Anarkali WordPress theme. The vulnerability stems from improper control of filename for include/require statements in PHP, allowing attackers to include local files on the server. This weakness (CWE-98) enables unauthorized access to sensitive files and could potentially lead to remote code execution when combined with other attack techniques.

Critical Impact

Attackers can leverage this LFI vulnerability to read sensitive configuration files, access credentials, or escalate to remote code execution through log poisoning or other file inclusion techniques.

Affected Products

• Ninetheme Anarkali WordPress Theme versions up to and including 1.0.9
• WordPress installations running the vulnerable Anarkali theme
• Web servers hosting WordPress sites with the affected theme

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-22 - CVE CVE-2025-47474 published to NVD
• 2026-01-22 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-47474

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability affects the Anarkali WordPress theme developed by Ninetheme. The core issue lies in the theme's improper handling of user-controlled input that gets passed to PHP include or require statements. When user input is not properly validated or sanitized before being used in file inclusion operations, attackers can manipulate the file path to include arbitrary local files from the server.

Local File Inclusion vulnerabilities in WordPress themes are particularly concerning because they can provide attackers access to sensitive WordPress configuration files such as wp-config.php, which contains database credentials and authentication keys. Additionally, attackers may leverage log file poisoning techniques by injecting PHP code into accessible log files and then including those logs to achieve code execution.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-47474 is the improper validation and sanitization of user-supplied input before it is used in PHP include(), include_once(), require(), or require_once() functions. The Anarkali theme fails to implement adequate input filtering, path canonicalization, or whitelist-based file inclusion controls, allowing path traversal sequences (such as ../) to be processed and used to access files outside the intended directory scope.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability involves manipulating parameters that control file inclusion within the Anarkali theme. An attacker can craft malicious requests containing directory traversal sequences to navigate the server's file system and include sensitive local files.

A typical exploitation scenario involves:

1. Identifying a vulnerable parameter that accepts filename input
2. Injecting path traversal sequences (e.g., ../../../../etc/passwd or ../../../../wp-config.php)
3. Accessing sensitive server files or WordPress configuration data
4. Potentially escalating to remote code execution through log poisoning or PHP filter wrapper techniques

For detailed technical information about this vulnerability, refer to the Patchstack security advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-47474

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual requests to WordPress theme files containing path traversal sequences (../, ..%2f, %2e%2e/)
• Web server logs showing attempts to access sensitive system files like /etc/passwd or wp-config.php
• Requests containing PHP wrapper schemes such as php://filter or php://input
• Unexpected file access patterns in WordPress theme directories

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block path traversal attempts in request parameters
• Monitor web server access logs for suspicious file inclusion patterns targeting the Anarkali theme
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for LFI attack patterns
• Utilize WordPress security plugins that monitor for suspicious file access attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the WordPress installation and web server
• Set up alerts for requests containing directory traversal sequences
• Monitor file integrity of critical WordPress configuration files
• Review access logs regularly for patterns indicative of reconnaissance or exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-47474

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove or deactivate the Ninetheme Anarkali theme immediately if running version 1.0.9 or earlier
• Switch to an alternative, secure WordPress theme until a patched version is available
• Review web server logs for any signs of exploitation attempts
• Audit WordPress configuration and consider rotating database credentials if compromise is suspected

Patch Information

As of the last NVD update on 2026-01-22, affected users should check with Ninetheme for an updated version of the Anarkali theme that addresses this vulnerability. Monitor the Patchstack advisory for updates on patch availability.

Workarounds

• Deactivate and remove the vulnerable Anarkali theme from your WordPress installation
• Implement WAF rules to block requests containing path traversal sequences targeting theme files
• Restrict access to WordPress administration areas using IP whitelisting
• Apply the principle of least privilege to web server file permissions to limit the impact of potential LFI exploitation

# Configuration example - Apache mod_rewrite rule to block path traversal
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\./|\.\.%2f|%2e%2e/) [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (\.\./|\.\.%2f|%2e%2e/) [NC]
RewriteRule .* - [F,L]