CVE-2026-27343: Airtifact Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2026-27343 Overview

CVE-2026-27343 is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the VanKarWai Airtifact WordPress theme. The flaw stems from improper control of filenames used in PHP include or require statements [CWE-98]. Authenticated attackers can manipulate file path parameters to load arbitrary local PHP files into the application's execution context. The vulnerability affects all versions of Airtifact up to and including 1.2.91. Successful exploitation can lead to disclosure of sensitive files, execution of attacker-controlled PHP code, and full site compromise when combined with file upload primitives.

Critical Impact

An authenticated attacker can include arbitrary local PHP files, achieving high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected WordPress site.

Affected Products

• VanKarWai Airtifact WordPress Theme versions through 1.2.91
• WordPress installations using the Airtifact theme
• Sites where the Airtifact theme is active and accepts authenticated requests

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-19 - CVE-2026-27343 published to NVD
• 2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-27343

Vulnerability Analysis

The Airtifact theme passes user-controllable input into a PHP file inclusion statement without adequate validation or sanitization. PHP's include, include_once, require, and require_once constructs execute any included file as PHP code. When attacker-influenced data reaches these functions, the application loads files chosen by the attacker rather than the developer.

This class of bug is tracked as PHP Remote File Inclusion under [CWE-98], although in this case the deployment limits exploitation to Local File Inclusion. An authenticated user with low privileges can supply a crafted parameter that references files on the local filesystem. The included file is executed within the WordPress request context, inheriting the privileges of the web server user.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing allowlist validation on a filename parameter used in a PHP inclusion call. The theme accepts a path or file identifier from a request parameter and concatenates it into the argument of an include-family function. Without canonicalization, extension enforcement, or restriction to a known directory, the parameter can reference arbitrary files such as uploaded media, log files, or session data that contain attacker-controlled PHP.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access to the WordPress site and low-privileged authenticated credentials. The attacker submits a request with a manipulated filename parameter targeting the vulnerable theme endpoint. The PHP interpreter then loads and executes the referenced file. Attackers commonly chain LFI with media upload functionality, log poisoning, or session file injection to convert file inclusion into remote code execution. See the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-27343

Indicators of Compromise

• Web server access logs containing path traversal sequences such as ../ or encoded variants in query parameters directed at Airtifact theme files
• Requests referencing sensitive system paths like /etc/passwd, wp-config.php, or PHP session files in theme parameters
• Unexpected PHP errors in logs referencing include() or require() with attacker-controlled paths
• New or modified PHP files in the WordPress uploads directory following suspicious authenticated sessions

Detection Strategies

• Inspect HTTP request logs for parameters supplying filenames or paths to Airtifact theme endpoints and flag values containing directory separators or null bytes
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that blocks LFI patterns targeting WordPress theme paths
• Monitor PHP error logs for failed to open stream warnings tied to inclusion functions
• Correlate authenticated user sessions with subsequent file system writes under wp-content

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose access logging on WordPress and forward logs to a centralized analytics platform for query-based hunting
• Alert on any authenticated POST or GET requests that include filesystem path tokens such as ../, php://, or file://
• Track integrity of theme and plugin directories using file integrity monitoring to detect dropped webshells

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-27343

Immediate Actions Required

• Disable or remove the Airtifact theme if a patched version is not yet available for your deployment
• Restrict authenticated account creation and audit existing low-privileged accounts for suspicious activity
• Apply WAF signatures that block LFI payloads against WordPress theme endpoints
• Review wp-content/uploads and theme directories for unauthorized PHP files

Patch Information

No patched version is identified in the available advisory data. The vulnerability affects Airtifact through version 1.2.91. Monitor the Patchstack advisory for vendor-issued fixes and upgrade as soon as a corrected release is published.

Workarounds

• Set allow_url_include to Off and allow_url_fopen to Off in php.ini to limit inclusion to local files
• Use open_basedir restrictions in PHP configuration to constrain accessible filesystem paths to the WordPress installation directory
• Switch the active theme to a maintained alternative until a patch is released
• Enforce least privilege on WordPress accounts and require strong authentication, including multi-factor authentication, for all users

# Example php.ini hardening to reduce LFI impact
allow_url_include = Off
allow_url_fopen = Off
open_basedir = "/var/www/html/:/tmp/"
disable_functions = "exec,passthru,shell_exec,system,proc_open,popen"