CVE-2026-22325: Promo Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2026-22325 Overview

CVE-2026-22325 is an unauthenticated Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the Promo WordPress theme, affecting versions 1.3.0 and earlier. The flaw is classified under [CWE-98] (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). Remote attackers can manipulate file path parameters to include arbitrary local files on the server without authentication. Successful exploitation enables disclosure of sensitive files, leakage of configuration data, and in certain conditions, server-side code execution through log poisoning or session file abuse.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can read arbitrary files on the underlying server and potentially achieve code execution through PHP file inclusion chains.

Affected Products

Promo WordPress Theme versions <= 1.3.0
WordPress installations with the vulnerable theme active
PHP runtime environments serving the affected theme files

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-17 - CVE-2026-22325 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-22325

Vulnerability Analysis

The Promo theme contains a PHP file inclusion routine that accepts user-controlled input and passes it to include, require, or equivalent file-loading statements without sufficient validation. Because the affected endpoint does not require authentication, any remote actor can submit crafted requests against the WordPress site to trigger the inclusion. The CWE-98 classification confirms that the root issue lies in improper control of the filename argument used by the PHP include directive.

An attacker who successfully exploits the issue can read files such as wp-config.php, exposing database credentials, secret keys, and salts. Where PHP wrappers like php://filter are available, the attacker can extract source code in base64-encoded form. If writable log files or uploaded content can be referenced, the vulnerability can be escalated from file disclosure to remote code execution.

Root Cause

The root cause is the concatenation of an unsanitized HTTP parameter into a PHP file inclusion call inside the theme. The code path lacks allowlist validation, file extension enforcement, and path canonicalization. As a result, traversal sequences such as ../ and absolute file paths reach the include statement directly.

Attack Vector

Exploitation occurs over the network with no authentication or user interaction. The attacker issues an HTTP request to the vulnerable theme endpoint with a manipulated parameter pointing to a local file. The PHP interpreter then loads and processes the referenced file in the context of the web server process. Refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-22325

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to Promo theme endpoints containing path traversal sequences such as ../../, ..%2f, or URL-encoded variants
Requests referencing sensitive WordPress files including wp-config.php, .htaccess, or /etc/passwd
Use of PHP wrapper schemes such as php://filter, php://input, or data:// in query parameters
Unusual include/require warnings in PHP error logs referencing theme files

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for requests targeting theme PHP files with file path or file= style parameters
Deploy WordPress-aware web application firewall rules that block traversal sequences and PHP wrapper schemes
Monitor PHP-FPM and Apache error logs for failed include attempts that indicate active probing

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable file integrity monitoring on the WordPress installation directory, especially the wp-content/themes/promo/ path
Alert on outbound connections initiated by the PHP worker process following suspicious inbound requests
Track repeated 200-status responses to anomalously long query strings against theme endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-22325

Immediate Actions Required

Disable or remove the Promo theme on all WordPress sites until a patched release is available
Switch active sites to a maintained theme to remove the vulnerable code from the include path
Restrict access to WordPress administrative and theme endpoints behind IP allowlists where feasible
Rotate database credentials, secret keys, and salts in wp-config.php if exploitation is suspected

Patch Information

No fixed version is documented in the available advisory at publication time. Site operators should monitor the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for an upstream patch and apply it as soon as it ships.

Workarounds

Configure the web application firewall to block path traversal patterns and PHP stream wrappers in query strings
Set open_basedir and allow_url_include=Off in php.ini to limit the file system scope reachable by PHP includes
Apply least-privilege file permissions so the web server account cannot read sensitive configuration files outside the document root

bash

# Configuration example: harden PHP against LFI exploitation
# /etc/php/php.ini
allow_url_include = Off
allow_url_fopen = Off
open_basedir = "/var/www/html:/tmp"

# Example WAF rule (ModSecurity) blocking traversal in theme requests
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /wp-content/themes/promo/" \
  "chain,deny,status:403,id:1026223250,msg:'CVE-2026-22325 LFI attempt'"
  SecRule ARGS "@rx (\.\./|php://|data://|file://)" "t:none,t:urlDecodeUni"