CVE-2025-62868: Edge CPT PHP File Inclusion Vulnerability

CVE-2025-62868 Overview

CVE-2025-62868 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the Edge CPT WordPress plugin developed by Edge-Themes. The vulnerability stems from improper control of filename parameters used in PHP include/require statements, allowing attackers to include arbitrary local files from the server filesystem. This can lead to sensitive information disclosure, configuration file exposure, and potentially remote code execution if combined with other attack techniques.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can leverage this LFI vulnerability to read sensitive server files, potentially exposing database credentials, WordPress configuration details, and other critical system information that could facilitate further compromise.

Affected Products

• Edge CPT WordPress Plugin versions through 1.4
• WordPress installations using vulnerable Edge CPT plugin versions

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-10-24 - CVE-2025-62868 published to NVD
• 2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-62868

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). The Edge CPT plugin fails to properly sanitize user-controlled input before using it in PHP include() or require() statements. This allows attackers to manipulate file paths and include arbitrary files from the local filesystem.

The attack can be executed remotely over the network, though successful exploitation requires certain conditions to be met, resulting in some complexity. No authentication or user interaction is required, making this vulnerability accessible to anonymous attackers targeting vulnerable WordPress installations.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-62868 lies in insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied parameters that are subsequently used in file inclusion operations. The plugin does not adequately filter path traversal sequences (such as ../) or validate that requested files are within expected directories, allowing attackers to escape the intended directory structure and access files elsewhere on the server.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable via network-based attacks against WordPress installations running the vulnerable Edge CPT plugin. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing path traversal sequences to manipulate the file path parameter. By traversing the directory structure, the attacker can include sensitive files such as /etc/passwd, WordPress configuration files (wp-config.php), or PHP session files.

If log poisoning or other file upload techniques are available, attackers may be able to escalate this LFI vulnerability to achieve remote code execution by including files containing injected PHP code.

The vulnerability mechanism involves the plugin accepting a filename or template parameter from user input and passing it directly to a PHP include or require function without proper validation. This allows path traversal attacks where malicious input like ../../../../etc/passwd can reference files outside the intended plugin directory structure.

For complete technical details, refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-62868

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests containing path traversal sequences (../, ..%2f, ..%5c) targeting Edge CPT plugin endpoints
• Access logs showing repeated requests to Edge CPT plugin files with unusual parameters
• Requests attempting to access sensitive files such as /etc/passwd, wp-config.php, or .htaccess
• Unusual error messages in PHP logs indicating failed file inclusion attempts
• Evidence of file access outside the WordPress plugin directory structure

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block path traversal sequences in request parameters
• Monitor web server access logs for requests containing ../ patterns targeting the Edge CPT plugin
• Implement intrusion detection signatures for LFI attack patterns against WordPress installations
• Configure SIEM rules to alert on multiple failed file access attempts originating from single IP addresses
• Use file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized access to sensitive configuration files

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the Edge CPT plugin and WordPress core file operations
• Configure real-time alerting for suspicious request patterns targeting plugin endpoints
• Monitor for unusual PHP error messages related to file inclusion failures
• Track access patterns to sensitive WordPress configuration files
• Implement anomaly detection for request parameters containing encoded path traversal sequences

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-62868

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the Edge CPT plugin to the latest patched version immediately
• Review web server access logs for signs of exploitation attempts
• Temporarily disable the Edge CPT plugin if an immediate update is not possible
• Implement WAF rules to block path traversal attack patterns
• Audit WordPress file permissions to limit potential impact of file inclusion attacks

Patch Information

Users should check for and apply the latest version of the Edge CPT plugin that addresses this vulnerability. The security advisory from Patchstack provides details on the vulnerable versions and remediation steps. Visit the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for official guidance on obtaining the security patch.

Workarounds

• Implement server-level restrictions using open_basedir PHP directive to limit file access to WordPress directories only
• Deploy ModSecurity or similar WAF rules to filter path traversal patterns in request parameters
• Restrict PHP file inclusion capabilities using allow_url_include = Off in php.ini configuration
• Configure Apache/Nginx to deny access to sensitive files and directories
• Use WordPress security plugins to add additional protection layers against LFI attacks

# PHP configuration hardening for LFI mitigation
# Add to php.ini or .htaccess

# Disable remote file inclusion
php_value allow_url_include 0

# Restrict PHP to WordPress directory (adjust path as needed)
php_value open_basedir /var/www/html/wordpress/

# ModSecurity rule to block path traversal
SecRule REQUEST_URI|ARGS|ARGS_NAMES "@contains ../" \
    "id:100001,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'Path Traversal Attack Detected'"