CVE-2026-22439: Green Planet WordPress Theme LFI Flaw

CVE-2026-22439 Overview

CVE-2026-22439 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the AncoraThemes Green Planet WordPress theme. The flaw stems from improper control of filenames used in PHP include or require statements [CWE-98]. Attackers can leverage attacker-controlled input to load arbitrary local PHP files within the web server context. The vulnerability affects all Green Planet versions from initial release through 1.1.14. Successful exploitation can lead to sensitive information disclosure, execution of unintended PHP code, and full compromise of affected WordPress sites.

Critical Impact

Remote, unauthenticated attackers can include arbitrary local PHP files, potentially leading to code execution and complete site takeover.

Affected Products

• AncoraThemes Green Planet WordPress theme versions through 1.1.14
• WordPress installations using the Green Planet theme
• Any site bundling vulnerable Green Planet template files

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-05 - CVE-2026-22439 published to NVD
• 2026-04-22 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-22439

Vulnerability Analysis

The Green Planet theme accepts user-controllable input that flows into a PHP file inclusion statement without sufficient validation. Because PHP's include and require constructs execute the contents of any included file as PHP, attacker-influenced paths allow loading of arbitrary local resources. The classification under [CWE-98] indicates the parameter handling does not restrict input to a safe allowlist of template files. While the entry refers to PHP Remote File Inclusion, the assigned scope is Local File Inclusion, meaning attackers reference files already present on the host or uploaded through other channels.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or inadequate sanitization of a filename parameter passed to a include, include_once, require, or require_once statement. The theme does not normalize the path, enforce a fixed base directory, or restrict input to a known set of template identifiers. Path traversal sequences and absolute paths are therefore resolved against the server filesystem.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction, though attack complexity is elevated due to conditions required for reliable exploitation. An attacker sends a crafted HTTP request that supplies a manipulated path parameter to a vulnerable Green Planet endpoint. The theme then includes the referenced file, executing any PHP it contains. This pattern can be chained with file upload primitives or log poisoning to achieve remote code execution. See the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-22439

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests to Green Planet theme endpoints containing path traversal sequences such as ../, ..%2f, or encoded null bytes
• Web server access logs showing query parameters referencing absolute paths like /etc/passwd, wp-config.php, or /proc/self/environ
• Unexpected PHP errors referencing failed include/require operations from wp-content/themes/green-planet/
• New or modified PHP files within the WordPress installation that were not deployed by administrators

Detection Strategies

• Inspect web access logs for requests targeting Green Planet template files with suspicious parameter values
• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) rule that flags PHP file inclusion patterns and path traversal payloads
• Use file integrity monitoring on the WordPress root, wp-content/uploads/, and theme directories
• Correlate anomalous outbound connections from the web server with recent inbound requests to theme endpoints

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose PHP error logging and alert on include/require failures originating from theme paths
• Monitor authentication events and new administrator account creation in WordPress
• Track process execution from the web server user (www-data, apache, or nginx) for unexpected shell commands
• Aggregate WordPress, web server, and host telemetry into a centralized log platform for correlation

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-22439

Immediate Actions Required

• Identify WordPress sites running the AncoraThemes Green Planet theme at version 1.1.14 or earlier
• Apply the vendor-provided patched release as soon as it is available from AncoraThemes
• Restrict access to the affected theme directory at the web server or WAF layer until patching is complete
• Audit wp-content/uploads/ and theme directories for unauthorized PHP files

Patch Information

No fixed version is listed in the NVD record at the time of publication. Administrators should consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report and AncoraThemes for an updated theme release that remediates the file inclusion flaw. Until a patched build is published, treat all deployments through 1.1.14 as vulnerable.

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable or replace the Green Planet theme with a maintained alternative
• Add WAF rules blocking requests containing ../, encoded traversal sequences, or absolute paths in query parameters
• Restrict PHP execution in wp-content/uploads/ using web server configuration
• Set open_basedir in php.ini to constrain PHP file access to the WordPress document root

# Configuration example: restrict PHP file access via open_basedir
# /etc/php/8.2/fpm/php.ini
open_basedir = "/var/www/html/wordpress/:/tmp/"

# Nginx: block PHP execution in uploads directory
location ~* /wp-content/uploads/.*\.php$ {
    deny all;
    return 403;
}