CVE-2026-27078: Emaurri Theme Local File Inclusion Flaw

CVE-2026-27078 Overview

CVE-2026-27078 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the Emaurri WordPress theme developed by Mikado-Themes. The vulnerability stems from improper control of filename for include/require statements in PHP, classified under CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). This flaw allows attackers to include local files from the server, potentially leading to sensitive information disclosure, arbitrary code execution, or complete system compromise.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this LFI vulnerability to read sensitive files from the server, potentially exposing configuration files, credentials, or achieving remote code execution through log poisoning techniques.

Affected Products

• Emaurri WordPress Theme versions up to and including 1.0.1
• All WordPress installations using vulnerable Emaurri theme versions
• Mikado-Themes Emaurri theme (all versions from initial release through 1.0.1)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-25 - CVE-2026-27078 published to NVD
• 2026-03-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-27078

Vulnerability Analysis

This Local File Inclusion vulnerability exists in the Emaurri WordPress theme due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input when processing file inclusion operations. The vulnerability is network-accessible and requires high attack complexity to exploit successfully. However, successful exploitation can result in significant confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts.

The vulnerability type (CWE-98) indicates that the theme fails to properly sanitize or validate user-controlled input before using it in PHP's include(), require(), include_once(), or require_once() functions. This allows an attacker to manipulate the file path and include arbitrary local files from the server's filesystem.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of user-supplied parameters that control file paths within the PHP application. The Emaurri theme does not adequately validate or sanitize input before incorporating it into file inclusion statements. Without proper input validation, directory traversal sequences (such as ../) or absolute paths can be injected, allowing attackers to break out of the intended directory structure and access files elsewhere on the filesystem.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2026-27078 is network-based, meaning the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring local access to the target system. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing path traversal sequences or manipulated file paths to exploit the vulnerable file inclusion functionality.

Typical exploitation scenarios include:

1. Information Disclosure: Reading sensitive configuration files like wp-config.php to obtain database credentials
2. Log Poisoning: Injecting malicious PHP code into log files, then including those logs to achieve code execution
3. PHP Session File Inclusion: Including session files to hijack user sessions or execute injected code
4. System File Access: Reading /etc/passwd or other system files to enumerate users and system configuration

The vulnerability mechanism involves the theme accepting a user-controlled parameter that specifies a file to include. By manipulating this parameter with directory traversal sequences, an attacker can escape the intended directory and include arbitrary files. For detailed technical information, refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-27078

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests containing directory traversal sequences (../, ..%2f, ..%252f) targeting WordPress theme endpoints
• Access log entries showing attempts to include system files like /etc/passwd, wp-config.php, or log files
• Error logs indicating failed file inclusion attempts or unexpected file access patterns
• Web application firewall alerts for LFI or path traversal attack patterns

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common LFI patterns including directory traversal sequences
• Monitor web server access logs for requests containing path manipulation characters or attempts to access sensitive files
• Deploy file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized access to sensitive configuration files
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for PHP LFI exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on WordPress installations to capture all file access attempts
• Set up real-time alerting for requests targeting theme-specific endpoints with suspicious parameters
• Monitor for unusual outbound data transfers that might indicate successful exfiltration of sensitive files
• Track changes to PHP session files and log files that could indicate log poisoning attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-27078

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the Emaurri WordPress theme to a patched version if available from Mikado-Themes
• If no patch is available, consider temporarily disabling or removing the Emaurri theme until a fix is released
• Implement web application firewall rules to block requests containing path traversal patterns
• Review server logs for evidence of exploitation attempts
• Audit file permissions to ensure the web server user has minimal necessary access

Patch Information

As of the last NVD update on 2026-03-26, users should check with Mikado-Themes for an updated version of the Emaurri theme that addresses this vulnerability. The Patchstack advisory provides additional details on the vulnerability status and any available remediation guidance.

Workarounds

• Deploy a virtual patch through a web application firewall (WAF) to block malicious requests
• Implement PHP's open_basedir directive to restrict file access to the WordPress installation directory
• Disable PHP functions like include() and require() for user-controlled paths where possible
• Consider using security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri to add additional protection layers

# Configuration example - PHP open_basedir restriction
# Add to php.ini or .htaccess to limit file access scope
php_admin_value open_basedir /var/www/html/wordpress/

# Apache mod_security rule to block directory traversal
SecRule REQUEST_URI "\.\./" "id:1001,phase:1,deny,status:403,msg:'Directory Traversal Attempt'"