CVE-2025-60069: Thememove Minimogwp Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2025-60069 Overview

CVE-2025-60069 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the ThemeMove MinimogWP WordPress theme. The flaw is classified under [CWE-98], Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in a PHP Program. Attackers can manipulate filename parameters passed to PHP include or require statements to load arbitrary local files. Successful exploitation can disclose sensitive configuration data, leak credentials, or lead to remote code execution when combined with file upload primitives. The vulnerability affects MinimogWP versions up to and including 3.9.6 and was published to the National Vulnerability Database on December 18, 2025.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated network attackers can include arbitrary local PHP files, potentially exposing wp-config.php secrets and enabling code execution on affected WordPress sites.

Affected Products

ThemeMove MinimogWP theme versions up to and including 3.9.6
WordPress installations using the vulnerable MinimogWP theme
Any site running MinimogWP without the security update applied

Discovery Timeline

2025-12-18 - CVE-2025-60069 published to NVD
2026-04-27 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-60069

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in PHP include or require statements within the MinimogWP theme code. The theme constructs file paths from user-controllable input without enforcing strict allowlists or canonicalization. An attacker can supply crafted filename values that resolve to files outside the intended directory scope.

Local File Inclusion enables an attacker to read sensitive server files such as wp-config.php, which holds database credentials and authentication keys. When attackers combine LFI with log poisoning, session file injection, or writable upload directories, they can achieve arbitrary PHP code execution. The advisory from Patchstack confirms the issue impacts MinimogWP through version 3.9.6.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper validation and sanitization of user-supplied input used in PHP file inclusion functions. The theme fails to restrict path components, rejecting neither directory traversal sequences such as ../ nor absolute paths. This violates the secure coding pattern of using static, hardcoded include targets or strict allowlists.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An unauthenticated remote attacker sends crafted HTTP requests to an endpoint exposed by the MinimogWP theme. The request includes a manipulated parameter that controls the filename passed to a PHP inclusion call. Exploitation complexity is elevated, suggesting specific preconditions or configuration states are required for reliable exploitation.

No public proof-of-concept exploit code is currently available for CVE-2025-60069. Refer to the Patchstack vulnerability report for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-60069

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests containing directory traversal sequences such as ../, ..%2f, or URL-encoded null bytes targeting MinimogWP endpoints
Web server access logs showing parameter values referencing wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, or php://filter wrappers
Unexpected PHP errors referencing failed include() or require() calls in error logs
Outbound connections from the WordPress host following anomalous theme requests

Detection Strategies

Inspect web access logs for query parameters whose values resemble filesystem paths or PHP stream wrappers
Deploy WordPress-aware Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules that block LFI payload patterns against theme endpoints
Monitor PHP runtime logs for inclusion attempts of files outside the theme directory
Alert on reads of sensitive WordPress files such as wp-config.php by the web server process

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward WordPress, PHP-FPM, and web server logs to a centralized analytics platform for correlation
Establish baseline request patterns for MinimogWP endpoints and alert on deviations
Track theme version inventory across WordPress fleets to identify unpatched MinimogWP installations

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-60069

Immediate Actions Required

Update MinimogWP to a version newer than 3.9.6 once ThemeMove publishes a fixed release
Audit WordPress installations to identify all sites running vulnerable MinimogWP versions
Restrict file permissions so the web server cannot read sensitive non-WordPress files
Rotate WordPress secret keys and database credentials if exploitation is suspected

Patch Information

ThemeMove has not published a confirmed fixed version in the available references. Site administrators should monitor the Patchstack advisory and the official ThemeMove changelog for the patched release. Apply updates through the WordPress admin dashboard or via the ThemeMove customer portal once available.

Workarounds

Deploy a WordPress-focused WAF with rules blocking path traversal and PHP wrapper payloads
Temporarily disable the MinimogWP theme and switch to a default WordPress theme if patching is delayed
Configure PHP open_basedir restrictions to limit which directories the WordPress process can access
Disable allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen in php.ini to reduce LFI escalation paths

bash

# Example php.ini hardening
allow_url_include = Off
allow_url_fopen = Off
open_basedir = "/var/www/html:/tmp"