CVE-2025-69076: Modern Housewife Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2025-69076 Overview

CVE-2025-69076 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the AncoraThemes Modern Housewife WordPress theme. The flaw stems from improper control of filenames used in PHP include or require statements [CWE-98]. Attackers can manipulate file path parameters to include arbitrary local files on the server. The vulnerability affects all versions of Modern Housewife from initial release through version 1.0.12. Successful exploitation can expose sensitive configuration data, source code, and credentials, and may lead to remote code execution when combined with file upload primitives.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can include arbitrary local files on the server, leading to disclosure of sensitive data and potential code execution.

Affected Products

AncoraThemes Modern Housewife WordPress Theme versions through 1.0.12
WordPress sites running the vulnerable modernhousewife theme
Hosting environments serving the Modern Housewife theme without input validation patches

Discovery Timeline

2026-01-22 - CVE-2025-69076 published to NVD
2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-69076

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-98]: Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program. The Modern Housewife theme passes user-controlled input into a PHP file inclusion function without proper sanitization or allow-list validation. This allows an attacker to traverse the local filesystem and include PHP files outside the theme directory. The issue is exploitable over the network without authentication or user interaction, though attack complexity is elevated due to required conditions in the request flow.

Root Cause

The root cause is unsafe handling of filename parameters supplied to PHP include, require, include_once, or require_once statements within the theme codebase. The theme accepts attacker-controlled path data and concatenates it into an inclusion call without normalizing path separators, stripping ../ sequences, or restricting inclusion to a predefined set of safe files. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.

Attack Vector

An unauthenticated remote attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to a vulnerable endpoint exposed by the theme. The request supplies a manipulated parameter that controls the path passed to a PHP inclusion function. By using directory traversal sequences or pointing to attacker-controlled log files and uploads, the attacker forces the PHP interpreter to execute the contents of the targeted file. This can disclose wp-config.php contents, including database credentials, or escalate to code execution when a writable PHP file exists on the host.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-69076

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to Modern Housewife theme endpoints containing ../ traversal sequences or absolute paths in query parameters
Web server access logs showing parameter values referencing wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, or /proc/self/environ
Unexpected PHP errors referencing include() or require() failures with attacker-controlled paths
Outbound connections from the web server immediately following anomalous theme requests

Detection Strategies

Inspect access logs for requests targeting /wp-content/themes/modernhousewife/ with suspicious parameter values
Apply web application firewall rules that flag directory traversal patterns in query strings and POST bodies
Monitor PHP error logs for inclusion failures referencing paths outside the theme directory
Correlate file read events on sensitive files such as wp-config.php with concurrent HTTP requests to the theme

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose access logging on WordPress sites running the Modern Housewife theme
Forward web server and PHP logs to a centralized analytics platform for query-based hunting
Alert on first-time access patterns to theme files that include unusual query parameters
Track outbound network connections originating from the PHP-FPM or web server process

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-69076

Immediate Actions Required

Identify all WordPress installations running the AncoraThemes Modern Housewife theme at version 1.0.12 or earlier
Deactivate the vulnerable theme until a patched version is confirmed available from the vendor
Restrict access to the WordPress installation behind a web application firewall with LFI detection rules
Audit wp-config.php and rotate database credentials and secret keys if compromise is suspected

Patch Information

No fixed version has been confirmed in the NVD record for CVE-2025-69076 at the time of publication. Monitor the Patchstack Vulnerability Report and the AncoraThemes vendor channels for an official update beyond version 1.0.12.

Workarounds

Switch to an alternative WordPress theme until an official patch is released
Configure PHP open_basedir to restrict file inclusion to the WordPress installation directory
Set allow_url_include = Off and allow_url_fopen = Off in php.ini to limit inclusion abuse
Deploy WAF signatures that block path traversal patterns and known LFI exploitation strings

bash

# Configuration example
# php.ini hardening to reduce LFI impact
allow_url_include = Off
allow_url_fopen = Off
open_basedir = "/var/www/html:/tmp"

# Example nginx rule to block traversal in query strings
if ($args ~* "(\.\./|\.\.%2f|wp-config\.php)") {
    return 403;
}