CVE-2025-47627: PrivateContent Mail Actions LFI Vulnerability

CVE-2025-47627 Overview

CVE-2025-47627 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the LCweb PrivateContent - Mail Actions WordPress plugin. The flaw stems from improper control of filename parameters used in PHP include or require statements, classified under [CWE-98]. Attackers can leverage the issue to include arbitrary local files through the plugin's mail action handlers. The vulnerability impacts all plugin versions up to and including 2.3.2. Successful exploitation requires user interaction, but enables high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability across affected WordPress installations.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows attackers to include and execute arbitrary PHP files on the server, potentially leading to information disclosure, configuration exposure, and remote code execution when combined with file upload primitives.

Affected Products

LCweb PrivateContent - Mail Actions plugin for WordPress
All versions from initial release through 2.3.2
WordPress sites with the vulnerable plugin installed and active

Discovery Timeline

2025-07-04 - CVE-2025-47627 published to NVD
2026-04-28 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-47627

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the PrivateContent - Mail Actions plugin's handling of filename parameters passed to PHP file inclusion functions. The plugin fails to validate or sanitize input before passing it to include or require statements. This allows attackers to manipulate the file path and load arbitrary files from the server's filesystem.

The attack requires network access and user interaction, which raises attack complexity. Despite this, the resulting impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability remains high. An attacker who successfully induces an authorized user to interact with a crafted request can read sensitive PHP files, configuration data, and credentials stored on the server.

The issue carries an EPSS probability of 0.459% (64th percentile), indicating moderate likelihood of exploitation activity relative to other published vulnerabilities.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper control of the filename argument supplied to PHP file inclusion functions [CWE-98]. The plugin accepts user-influenced input and uses it to construct a path passed to include, require, or equivalent constructs. Without allowlisting, path normalization, or strict input validation, attackers can supply traversal sequences or alternative paths to reach arbitrary local files.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious URL or request targeting the vulnerable mail action endpoint with a manipulated filename parameter. When an authorized user processes the request, the plugin includes the attacker-specified file. This can disclose wp-config.php, log files, session data, or other PHP source files. If the attacker can also place content on the server through legitimate upload functionality, the LFI can escalate to remote code execution.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently linked in the NVD reference set. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-47627

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to PrivateContent - Mail Actions endpoints containing path traversal sequences such as ../, ..%2f, or absolute paths to system files
Web server access logs showing successful 200 responses to requests referencing wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, or PHP files outside the plugin directory
PHP error log entries referencing failed include or require operations originating from the plugin's mail action handlers

Detection Strategies

Inspect WordPress access logs for requests targeting plugin endpoints with suspicious filename query parameters or POST bodies
Deploy web application firewall rules that flag path traversal patterns and absolute filesystem paths in parameters destined for the plugin
Correlate authenticated user sessions with anomalous file inclusion patterns to identify exploitation attempts requiring user interaction

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose PHP error logging and forward logs to a centralized SIEM for analysis
Monitor filesystem access patterns on WordPress servers for unexpected reads of sensitive configuration files
Alert on any execution of PHP files from non-standard directories such as wp-content/uploads/

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-47627

Immediate Actions Required

Identify all WordPress installations running the PrivateContent - Mail Actions plugin and inventory versions in use
Disable or uninstall the plugin on any site running version 2.3.2 or earlier until a patched release is confirmed
Restrict administrative access to WordPress dashboards and require multi-factor authentication for users who interact with mail action workflows

Patch Information

At the time of publication, the vendor has not released a confirmed fixed version through the NVD reference set. Site administrators should monitor the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory and the LCweb vendor channels for an updated release beyond version 2.3.2.

Workarounds

Remove the PrivateContent - Mail Actions plugin until a patched version is available
Deploy a web application firewall ruleset that blocks path traversal sequences and absolute paths in plugin parameters
Apply PHP open_basedir restrictions to limit which directories the WordPress process can read
Set strict filesystem permissions so the web server user cannot read sensitive files outside the web root

bash

# Example PHP open_basedir restriction in php.ini
open_basedir = "/var/www/html/:/tmp/"

# Example Apache rule to block traversal in query strings
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\./|\.\.%2f|/etc/passwd|wp-config) [NC]
    RewriteRule .* - [F,L]
</IfModule>