CVE-2025-69148: Quirky Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2025-69148 Overview

CVE-2025-69148 is an unauthenticated Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the Quirky WordPress theme in versions up to and including 1.23. The flaw maps to CWE-98, improper control of filename for include/require statement in PHP programs. Remote attackers can exploit this issue over the network without authentication or user interaction. Successful exploitation allows inclusion of arbitrary local files within the WordPress installation, exposing sensitive configuration data such as wp-config.php and potentially enabling code execution if attacker-controlled content can be staged on the server. The issue was published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) based on a report from Patchstack.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can include arbitrary local files from the WordPress host, exposing credentials and potentially leading to full site compromise.

Affected Products

Quirky WordPress theme versions <= 1.23
WordPress sites with the Quirky theme active or installed
Hosting environments running vulnerable Quirky theme installations

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-17 - CVE-2025-69148 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-69148

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the Quirky theme's handling of file path parameters passed to PHP include or require statements. The theme accepts user-supplied input and incorporates it into a file inclusion call without performing adequate validation, normalization, or allow-list checks. Because the endpoint does not require authentication, any remote attacker can submit crafted requests over the network.

The weakness is classified under CWE-98, PHP Remote File Inclusion. While the public description specifies local file inclusion, exploitation typically allows reading of sensitive files such as wp-config.php, which contains database credentials and authentication keys. On servers with permissive PHP configurations or writable upload directories, attackers can chain LFI with log poisoning or session file inclusion to achieve remote code execution.

The EPSS score is approximately 0.435% with a percentile near 34.6, indicating moderate but non-negligible exploitation likelihood for an unauthenticated WordPress theme flaw.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper sanitization of user-controlled input used in a PHP file inclusion statement. The theme dynamically constructs a file path from request parameters and passes it to include, require, include_once, or require_once without verifying that the resolved path stays within an expected directory. Directory traversal sequences such as ../ are not stripped, allowing access to files outside the theme directory.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based with high complexity, requiring no privileges and no user interaction. An attacker sends an HTTP request to the vulnerable theme endpoint with a manipulated file path parameter. The PHP interpreter resolves the traversal sequence and includes the targeted local file. The contents are either rendered into the response or executed as PHP, depending on file type and inclusion context.

The vulnerability mechanism follows the standard LFI pattern in PHP themes: an unsanitized GET or POST parameter flows directly into a file inclusion call. Refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for technical details specific to this advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-69148

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to Quirky theme PHP files containing directory traversal sequences such as ../ or URL-encoded variants like %2e%2e%2f
Access log entries referencing sensitive system files including wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, or PHP session files
Outbound requests or unexpected PHP execution originating from the theme directory /wp-content/themes/quirky/
Unusual file read activity on the web server tied to theme-related query parameters

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for query strings containing path traversal patterns targeting Quirky theme endpoints
Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules that flag LFI signatures such as encoded ../ sequences and references to wp-config.php
Monitor PHP error logs for include() or require() warnings referencing unexpected file paths
Correlate authentication-free requests to theme PHP files with subsequent suspicious file access on the host

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable file integrity monitoring on wp-config.php and other sensitive WordPress files to detect unauthorized reads or modifications
Forward web server and PHP logs to a centralized logging platform for retention and correlation
Establish alerts for repeated 200-status responses to theme endpoints carrying traversal payloads
Review WordPress plugin and theme inventories regularly to identify vulnerable Quirky installations

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-69148

Immediate Actions Required

Identify all WordPress installations using the Quirky theme version <= 1.23 and prioritize remediation
Deactivate the Quirky theme on affected sites until a patched version is confirmed and applied
Rotate WordPress database credentials, authentication keys, and salts if exposure of wp-config.php is suspected
Review web server access logs for prior exploitation attempts and investigate any matches

Patch Information

No vendor patch information is listed in the available advisory data at the time of publication. Administrators should consult the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for the latest fix availability and upgrade guidance. If no patch is available, replacement of the theme is recommended.

Workarounds

Disable or remove the Quirky theme until an updated version is published
Deploy WAF rules to block path traversal patterns and inclusion of sensitive files like wp-config.php
Configure PHP open_basedir to restrict file access to the WordPress document root and prevent traversal outside permitted directories
Set allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen to Off in php.ini to limit inclusion-based exploitation primitives

bash

# Configuration example: restrict PHP file inclusion scope in php.ini
open_basedir = "/var/www/html:/tmp"
allow_url_include = Off
allow_url_fopen = Off