CVE-2025-52745: Farm Agrico LFI Vulnerability

CVE-2025-52745 Overview

CVE-2025-52745 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the Farm Agrico WordPress theme developed by AncoraThemes. The vulnerability stems from improper control of filename parameters used in PHP include/require statements, allowing attackers to include arbitrary local files on the server. This flaw can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive configuration files, potential disclosure of credentials, and in certain configurations, remote code execution through log poisoning or other file inclusion techniques.

Critical Impact

Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can read sensitive server files including wp-config.php, potentially exposing database credentials and authentication keys, leading to complete site compromise.

Affected Products

• AncoraThemes Farm Agrico WordPress Theme versions up to and including 1.3.11
• WordPress installations using the vulnerable Farm Agrico theme
• Web servers hosting WordPress with the affected theme active

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-12-18 - CVE-2025-52745 published to NVD
• 2026-01-20 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-52745

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). The Farm Agrico theme fails to properly sanitize user-controlled input before passing it to PHP's file inclusion functions. This allows attackers to manipulate file paths and include arbitrary files from the local filesystem.

Local File Inclusion vulnerabilities in WordPress themes are particularly dangerous because WordPress installations typically contain sensitive files such as wp-config.php which stores database credentials, authentication salts, and other critical configuration data. The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means any unauthenticated remote attacker can potentially exploit it.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation and sanitization within the Farm Agrico theme. When the theme processes user-supplied input to dynamically include PHP files, it fails to adequately restrict the file paths that can be specified. This allows attackers to use directory traversal sequences (such as ../) to escape the intended directory and access files elsewhere on the filesystem.

Proper mitigation would require implementing strict allowlists for includable files, using basename functions to strip directory components, and validating that requested files exist within expected directories.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network without requiring authentication. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing specially formatted file paths designed to traverse directories and include sensitive files.

Typical exploitation involves path traversal sequences combined with known file locations. For example, an attacker might attempt to include /etc/passwd on Linux systems or navigate to WordPress configuration files. The technical complexity is considered high due to potential server-specific path variations and security configurations that may affect exploitation success.

For detailed technical analysis and exploitation scenarios, refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-52745

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests containing directory traversal patterns (e.g., ../, ..%2f, ....//) targeting theme files
• Access logs showing requests to Farm Agrico theme endpoints with suspicious file path parameters
• Unexpected file read operations or access to sensitive configuration files in server logs
• Web application firewall alerts for path traversal attempts against WordPress installations

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block path traversal patterns in request parameters
• Monitor WordPress access logs for requests containing encoded or double-encoded directory traversal sequences
• Implement file integrity monitoring on critical WordPress files such as wp-config.php
• Use WordPress security plugins to scan for known vulnerable themes and alert on suspicious activity

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all HTTP requests to WordPress theme directories
• Configure alerts for any access attempts to sensitive files like /etc/passwd, wp-config.php, or .htaccess
• Monitor for unusual patterns in PHP error logs that may indicate failed file inclusion attempts
• Regularly audit installed themes and plugins against known vulnerability databases

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-52745

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the Farm Agrico theme to the latest patched version if available from AncoraThemes
• If no patch is available, consider temporarily deactivating and removing the vulnerable theme
• Implement WAF rules to block path traversal attack patterns targeting WordPress installations
• Review access logs for signs of exploitation attempts and investigate any suspicious activity
• Rotate WordPress authentication keys and database credentials if compromise is suspected

Patch Information

Users should check with AncoraThemes for an updated version of the Farm Agrico theme that addresses this vulnerability. The Patchstack Vulnerability Report may contain additional remediation guidance. Until a patch is applied, consider using virtual patching through a WAF or WordPress security plugin.

Workarounds

• Switch to an alternative WordPress theme that does not contain this vulnerability
• Implement server-level restrictions using .htaccess or nginx configuration to block requests with traversal patterns
• Use a WordPress security plugin with virtual patching capabilities to protect against LFI attacks
• Restrict file permissions on sensitive WordPress files to minimize impact of potential file disclosure

# Apache .htaccess configuration to block common LFI patterns
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\./) [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\.\\) [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (\.\./) [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (\.\.\\) [NC]
RewriteRule .* - [F,L]
</IfModule>