CVE-2025-69057: Eldon WordPress Theme LFI Vulnerability

CVE-2025-69057 Overview

CVE-2025-69057 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the Edge-Themes Eldon WordPress theme. The vulnerability stems from improper control of filename parameters used in PHP include/require statements (CWE-98), allowing attackers to include arbitrary local files on the target server.

This vulnerability enables attackers to read sensitive files from the web server, potentially exposing configuration files, credentials, and other sensitive data. In certain configurations, LFI vulnerabilities can be escalated to achieve Remote Code Execution through log poisoning or other techniques.

Critical Impact

Attackers can exploit improper filename handling in PHP include statements to read arbitrary local files, potentially exposing sensitive configuration data, credentials, and enabling further attacks on the WordPress installation.

Affected Products

• Edge-Themes Eldon WordPress Theme version 1.0 and earlier
• WordPress installations using the Eldon theme

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-22 - CVE-2025-69057 published to NVD
• 2026-01-22 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-69057

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability exists due to improper input validation when handling filenames passed to PHP's include or require functions within the Eldon WordPress theme. The theme fails to properly sanitize user-controlled input before using it in file inclusion operations, allowing attackers to manipulate the file path and include arbitrary files from the local file system.

PHP Local File Inclusion vulnerabilities occur when user-supplied input is used to construct file paths without adequate validation. Attackers can leverage directory traversal sequences (such as ../) to escape the intended directory and access files elsewhere on the server.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-69057 is CWE-98: Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program. The Eldon theme does not properly validate or sanitize user-controlled input before passing it to PHP file inclusion functions. This allows attackers to inject path traversal sequences and specify arbitrary file paths, breaking out of the intended directory structure.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability involves manipulating input parameters that are subsequently used in PHP include/require statements. An attacker can craft malicious requests containing directory traversal sequences to include sensitive files from the server's file system.

Common targets for LFI exploitation include:

• /etc/passwd - User account information
• wp-config.php - WordPress database credentials
• .htaccess - Apache configuration files
• Log files - For potential log poisoning attacks

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely by sending specially crafted HTTP requests to the affected WordPress installation. For detailed technical information, see the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-69057

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests containing directory traversal sequences (../, ..%2f, %2e%2e/) targeting theme files
• Access log entries showing attempts to include system files like /etc/passwd or wp-config.php
• Unexpected file access patterns in web server logs targeting the Eldon theme directory
• Error logs showing failed file inclusion attempts or PHP warnings related to include/require functions

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block directory traversal attempts in request parameters
• Monitor web server access logs for suspicious patterns targeting WordPress theme files, particularly those containing ../ sequences
• Deploy file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized access or modifications to sensitive configuration files
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for PHP LFI attack patterns
• Enable verbose PHP error logging to capture failed inclusion attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure real-time alerting for HTTP requests containing known LFI exploitation patterns
• Monitor WordPress activity logs for unusual theme-related operations
• Implement centralized log collection and analysis for web server access and error logs
• Establish baseline behavior for file access patterns to identify anomalous activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-69057

Immediate Actions Required

• Review and update the Eldon WordPress theme to a patched version when available from Edge-Themes
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to block LFI attack patterns
• Restrict file system permissions to limit the impact of potential file inclusion attacks
• Consider temporarily disabling or replacing the Eldon theme until a security patch is released

Patch Information

Consult the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Advisory for the latest patch availability and update instructions. Affected users should update to a version greater than 1.0 when a security patch becomes available from Edge-Themes.

Workarounds

• Deploy a WAF solution configured to block requests containing directory traversal sequences
• Implement PHP configuration hardening by setting open_basedir to restrict file access to the web root
• Use WordPress security plugins that provide additional input validation and request filtering
• Apply the principle of least privilege to web server file permissions, limiting read access to only necessary files

# PHP configuration hardening example
# Add to php.ini or .htaccess to restrict file access

# Restrict PHP file operations to web root
php_admin_value open_basedir /var/www/html/

# Disable dangerous PHP functions
php_admin_value disable_functions exec,passthru,shell_exec,system,proc_open,popen

# Log PHP errors for monitoring
php_admin_flag log_errors on
php_admin_value error_log /var/log/php_errors.log