CVE-2025-53259: Hotel Booking Plugin LFI Vulnerability

CVE-2025-53259 Overview

CVE-2025-53259 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the nicdark Hotel Booking (nd-booking) WordPress plugin. The flaw stems from improper control of filenames used in PHP include/require statements [CWE-98]. All plugin versions up to and including 3.7 are affected.

Authenticated attackers can manipulate file path parameters to load arbitrary local PHP files within the WordPress environment. Successful exploitation impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the host application. Although the CVE is classified under the PHP Remote File Inclusion category, exploitation is constrained to local file inclusion based on the upstream advisory.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can include arbitrary local PHP files, leading to information disclosure, code execution via log poisoning, and full compromise of the WordPress site.

Affected Products

nicdark Hotel Booking (nd-booking) WordPress plugin — all versions up to and including 3.7
WordPress sites with the vulnerable plugin installed and active
Hosting environments where PHP include/require resolves user-controlled paths

Discovery Timeline

2025-06-27 - CVE-2025-53259 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-53259

Vulnerability Analysis

The nd-booking plugin passes user-supplied input into a PHP include or require statement without sufficient validation or sanitization. An attacker with low-privileged authenticated access can manipulate the path parameter to traverse the filesystem and load arbitrary .php files accessible to the web server process.

Local File Inclusion in PHP applications typically enables disclosure of sensitive configuration files such as wp-config.php, which contains database credentials and authentication keys. When combined with techniques like log poisoning or session file injection, LFI can escalate into remote code execution under the privileges of the PHP-FPM or web server user.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of allow-list validation on a filename or path parameter consumed by an include, require, include_once, or require_once statement. The plugin treats input from request parameters as a trusted path component rather than validating it against a known set of permitted modules.

Attack Vector

Exploitation occurs over the network against an HTTP(S) endpoint exposed by the WordPress plugin. The attacker must hold valid low-privilege credentials on the target site. The attacker submits a crafted request containing a manipulated file path parameter that references a sensitive local file or a poisoned log/session file containing PHP payloads.

No verified public proof-of-concept code is available at the time of writing. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-53259

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP request parameters containing directory traversal sequences such as ../, ..%2f, or null-byte (%00) terminators targeting nd-booking endpoints
Web server access logs showing requests referencing sensitive paths like wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, or /proc/self/environ
Unexpected PHP file reads outside the wp-content/plugins/nd-booking/ directory tree
Anomalous outbound connections or new administrative users created shortly after suspicious plugin requests

Detection Strategies

Inspect WordPress and web server logs for nd-booking requests containing path traversal payloads or absolute filesystem references
Enable PHP open_basedir violations logging and alert on attempts to access files outside the WordPress document root
Deploy WAF rules that flag LFI signatures (../, php://filter, php://input, expect://) against plugin endpoints
Correlate authenticated session activity with subsequent file disclosure attempts to identify compromised low-privilege accounts

Monitoring Recommendations

Continuously monitor file integrity of wp-config.php, .htaccess, and plugin directories for unauthorized modifications
Alert on PHP error logs containing failed to open stream messages referencing user-controlled paths
Track creation of unexpected administrative WordPress accounts or modifications to user roles following suspicious requests

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-53259

Immediate Actions Required

Deactivate the nd-booking plugin until a patched version is confirmed available from the vendor
Audit WordPress user accounts and revoke unnecessary low-privilege access that could be abused for authenticated exploitation
Rotate database credentials, authentication keys, and salts in wp-config.php if file inclusion is suspected
Review web server access logs for evidence of exploitation attempts dating back to plugin installation

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no fixed version is referenced in the NVD entry. The advisory indicates all versions through 3.7 are affected. Monitor the Patchstack Vulnerability Report and the vendor's plugin page for a patched release.

Workarounds

Restrict access to WordPress admin and plugin endpoints using IP allow-listing or HTTP authentication at the web server layer
Configure PHP open_basedir to confine file access to the WordPress installation directory
Disable PHP wrappers such as allow_url_include and limit allow_url_fopen in php.ini
Deploy a Web Application Firewall with LFI rule sets in front of the affected WordPress site

bash

# Example php.ini hardening to limit file inclusion impact
allow_url_include = Off
allow_url_fopen = Off
open_basedir = "/var/www/html:/tmp"
disable_functions = "system,exec,shell_exec,passthru,popen"