CVE-2025-59564: Thememove Edumall Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2025-59564 Overview

CVE-2025-59564 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the ThemeMove EduMall WordPress theme. The vulnerability arises from improper control of filename parameters in PHP include/require statements, allowing attackers to include arbitrary local files on the server. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive server files, configuration data exposure, and in some scenarios, remote code execution through log file poisoning or other file-based attack chains.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this LFI vulnerability to read sensitive files on the server, potentially exposing database credentials, configuration files, and other critical data. When combined with other techniques, this could escalate to full remote code execution.

Affected Products

• ThemeMove EduMall WordPress Theme versions prior to 4.4.5
• WordPress installations using vulnerable EduMall theme versions
• Educational and learning management system websites built on EduMall

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-10-22 - CVE-2025-59564 published to NVD
• 2026-01-29 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-59564

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the EduMall WordPress theme due to insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-controlled file paths in PHP include or require statements. When the application accepts user input to dynamically construct file paths without proper sanitization, attackers can manipulate these parameters to traverse the directory structure and include arbitrary local files from the server's filesystem.

In a WordPress theme context, this typically manifests in AJAX handlers, template loading mechanisms, or dynamic content inclusion features where user input directly influences which files get included by PHP. The network-based attack vector with high complexity suggests exploitation may require specific conditions or additional knowledge about the target system's file structure.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-59564 is classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). The EduMall theme fails to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied input before using it in PHP's file inclusion functions such as include(), include_once(), require(), or require_once().

This allows attackers to inject path traversal sequences (e.g., ../) or absolute paths to reference files outside the intended directory scope. The lack of proper whitelisting, path canonicalization, or input filtering enables this attack vector.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network without authentication. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing path traversal sequences to manipulate file inclusion parameters. Common exploitation targets include:

• Reading /etc/passwd to enumerate system users
• Accessing wp-config.php to obtain database credentials
• Including log files containing injected PHP code for RCE
• Reading .htaccess files to understand security configurations

The attack complexity is rated as high, suggesting that successful exploitation may depend on specific server configurations, file system permissions, or the need for additional reconnaissance to identify exploitable endpoints.

For technical details on the vulnerability mechanism and affected code paths, refer to the Patchstack security advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-59564

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests containing path traversal sequences such as ../, ..%2f, or ..%252f in theme-related parameters
• Access logs showing requests to EduMall theme endpoints with suspicious file path parameters
• Unexpected file access patterns in server audit logs, particularly for sensitive configuration files
• Web application firewall alerts for LFI/path traversal attack signatures

Detection Strategies

• Deploy web application firewall rules to detect and block path traversal patterns in HTTP requests
• Monitor WordPress access logs for unusual requests targeting EduMall theme AJAX handlers or template files
• Implement file integrity monitoring on critical configuration files to detect unauthorized access attempts
• Configure intrusion detection systems with LFI-specific signatures for PHP-based applications

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on the web server to capture full request URIs and parameters
• Set up alerts for failed file access attempts that may indicate path traversal exploitation
• Monitor for unusual PHP error messages that could indicate exploitation attempts
• Implement real-time log analysis for pattern matching against known LFI attack signatures

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-59564

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the EduMall theme to version 4.4.5 or later immediately
• Review web server access logs for signs of exploitation attempts
• Audit any custom modifications to the EduMall theme for similar vulnerabilities
• Consider temporarily disabling vulnerable functionality if an immediate update is not possible

Patch Information

ThemeMove has released version 4.4.5 of the EduMall theme which addresses this Local File Inclusion vulnerability. Website administrators should update through the WordPress theme update mechanism or download the patched version directly from ThemeMove. For additional details on the vulnerability and patch, consult the Patchstack WordPress vulnerability database.

Workarounds

• Implement web application firewall rules to block requests containing path traversal sequences (../, encoded variants)
• Restrict file system permissions to limit PHP's ability to read sensitive files outside the web root
• Enable PHP's open_basedir directive to confine file operations to specific directories
• Deploy virtual patching through security plugins like Patchstack or Wordfence until the theme can be updated

# Apache .htaccess rule to block common LFI patterns
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\./|\.\.%2f|\.\.%252f) [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (etc/passwd|wp-config\.php) [NC]
RewriteRule .* - [F,L]

# PHP open_basedir configuration (php.ini)
open_basedir = /var/www/html/:/tmp/