CVE-2025-69374: Eleblog Elementor Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2025-69374 Overview

CVE-2025-69374 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the Eleblog – Elementor Blog And Magazine Addons WordPress plugin developed by SolverWp. 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 vulnerability is classified as CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program), which can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive files, potential information disclosure, and in some scenarios, remote code execution when combined with other attack techniques.

Critical Impact
Attackers can exploit this LFI vulnerability to read sensitive configuration files, access credentials stored on the server, or potentially achieve code execution by including files containing malicious PHP code.

Affected Products

Eleblog – Elementor Blog And Magazine Addons (ele-blog) versions up to and including 2.0.3
WordPress installations running the vulnerable plugin version
Sites using Elementor page builder with the Eleblog addon

Discovery Timeline

2026-02-20 - CVE CVE-2025-69374 published to NVD
2026-02-24 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-69374

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists within the Eleblog plugin's handling of user-supplied input that is passed to PHP file inclusion functions. When the plugin processes certain requests, it fails to properly validate and sanitize filenames before using them in include() or require() statements.

Local File Inclusion vulnerabilities allow attackers to manipulate file paths to access files outside the intended directory structure. In WordPress environments, this commonly enables attackers to read sensitive files such as wp-config.php (containing database credentials), .htaccess files, or other configuration files stored on the server.

The attack requires network access and while the complexity is considered high, successful exploitation does not require authentication or user interaction, making it a significant threat to affected WordPress installations.

Root Cause

The root cause is the lack of proper input validation and sanitization for user-controlled parameters that are subsequently used in PHP file inclusion operations. The plugin fails to implement adequate path traversal protections or whitelist restrictions on which files can be included dynamically.

Common issues that lead to this type of vulnerability include:

Missing or insufficient validation of file path parameters
Absence of directory traversal sequence filtering (../)
Lack of file extension restrictions
No whitelist of allowed includable files

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network without requiring authentication. An attacker can craft malicious requests containing path traversal sequences to access files outside the plugin's intended directory scope.

Typical attack scenarios include:

Configuration File Disclosure: Attackers attempt to include wp-config.php to obtain database credentials, authentication keys, and salts
Log File Poisoning: If the attacker can inject PHP code into log files, they can then include those logs to achieve code execution
Session File Inclusion: On servers where PHP session files are accessible, attackers may be able to include session data containing injected code

The attack typically involves manipulating URL parameters or POST data to specify arbitrary file paths using directory traversal sequences like ../ to navigate the filesystem hierarchy.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-69374

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual HTTP requests containing path traversal sequences (../, ..%2f, ..%252f) targeting Eleblog plugin endpoints
Access logs showing attempts to include sensitive files like wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, or system configuration files
Requests containing null byte injections (%00) or other encoding bypass attempts
Anomalous file access patterns in PHP error logs indicating failed include attempts

Detection Strategies

Monitor web server access logs for requests containing directory traversal patterns targeting the ele-blog plugin directory
Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block LFI attack patterns
Review PHP error logs for warnings about failed file inclusions or access denied errors
Deploy file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized access to sensitive configuration files

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose logging for WordPress and the web server to capture detailed request information
Set up alerts for HTTP requests matching known LFI attack signatures targeting WordPress plugins
Monitor for unusual process executions or file system access patterns that could indicate successful exploitation
Implement network-level monitoring for data exfiltration following potential successful attacks

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-69374

Immediate Actions Required

Update Eleblog – Elementor Blog And Magazine Addons plugin to a patched version when available
Temporarily disable the ele-blog plugin if it is not critical to site functionality
Implement WAF rules to block LFI attack patterns targeting the affected plugin
Review server logs for evidence of exploitation attempts or successful attacks
Audit WordPress installations to identify all sites running vulnerable versions

Patch Information

Security researchers identified this vulnerability in Eleblog versions through 2.0.3. Users should monitor the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for updated patch information and upgrade to the latest secure version once available.

WordPress administrators should:

Check the current installed version in the WordPress plugin dashboard
Enable automatic updates for security patches when possible
Subscribe to security advisories from Patchstack and the plugin vendor

Workarounds

Disable the Eleblog plugin entirely until a patched version is released
Implement server-level access controls to restrict PHP file inclusion paths using open_basedir directive
Configure ModSecurity or similar WAF with rules to block path traversal attempts
Restrict filesystem permissions on sensitive configuration files to prevent unauthorized read access
Consider implementing a virtual patching solution through your WAF while awaiting an official fix

bash

# Configuration example - Add to Apache .htaccess or vhost configuration
# Block common LFI attack patterns for ele-blog plugin
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\./) [NC,OR]
    RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\.\\) [NC,OR]
    RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\./){2,} [NC]
    RewriteRule ^wp-content/plugins/ele-blog/.* - [F,L]
</IfModule>

# PHP open_basedir restriction (add to php.ini or vhost)
# open_basedir = /var/www/html:/tmp