Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessFingerprint Confidant theme on target
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DeliveryIdentify vulnerable include parameter
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ExploitSend crafted request with path traversal
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ExecutionInclude sensitive local file (wp-config.php or poisoned log)
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PersistExtract DB credentials or trigger PHP execution
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ImpactDeploy webshell and pivot to full site takeover
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling File inclusion prevention, allowlisting
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Initial Access, Command and Control The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Target site must have the Axiomthemes Confidant theme installed and active at version 1.4 or earlier; the vulnerable include sink must be reachable from the unauthenticated network surface (consistent with AV:N/PR:N/UI:N). The CVSS AC:H rating indicates non-default preconditions - likely a specific theme option, page-builder configuration, or request parameter sequence - must be satisfied to reach the file-inclusion primitive, though Patchstack's advisory does not enumerate them publicly. Exploitation is further limited to local files (LFI, not RFI), so the attacker must rely on files already present on the server (config, logs, session files, uploaded content) and cannot directly fetch a remote PHP payload via the include itself. Sites that have replaced or disabled the Confidant theme, or that run PHP with open_basedir or restrictive disable_functions, materially reduce realistic impact. |
| Impact | Signals are mixed. CVSS 8.1 with AV:N/PR:N/UI:N/C:H/I:H/A:H suggests a high-impact, network-reachable, unauthenticated vulnerability - typical of a serious LFI. However, AC:H (high attack complexity) tempers that score: NVD's AC:H usually means exploitation depends on a race condition, a specific configuration, or non-trivial preconditions the attacker cannot easily control. No EPSS score, no SSVC decision, and no KEV listing are provided, and no public proof-of-concept has been published - Patchstack is the sole intelligence source. The realistic priority is moderate-to-high for sites running this theme: LFI on WordPress historically pivots to RCE via log poisoning, session-file injection, or reading wp-config.php to steal DB credentials, but the AC:H caveat and lack of weaponized PoC argue against treating it as an emergency for sites that are not exposed to opportunistic mass scanning. Confidant is a niche commercial theme, so the absolute installed base is likely small, further limiting attacker interest. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An unauthenticated attacker discovers a Confidant ≤ 1.4 site (e.g., via Wappalyzer fingerprinting or a Google dork against theme asset paths) and sends a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable theme endpoint with a manipulated filename parameter, traversing the filesystem to include /var/www/html/wp-config.php or a poisoned access log. The included file is parsed by PHP, leaking database credentials or executing attacker-supplied PHP previously written into a log file, which the attacker then pivots into webshell deployment and full WordPress takeover. No public PoC is currently known, and the CVSS AC:H rating implies a non-trivial parameter combination or timing is required to reach the vulnerable sink. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Jun 02, 2026
Local File Inclusion in Axiomthemes Confidant WordPress theme (versions up to and including 1.4) allows remote unauthenticated attackers to include arbitrary local PHP files on the server, potentially leading to sensitive information disclosure and code execution. The vulnerability is reported by Patchstack with a CVSS 8.1 (High) rating; no public exploit identified at time of analysis and the CVE is not present in CISA KEV. The high attack complexity (AC:H) suggests exploitation requires specific conditions to be met, despite the network-reachable, no-auth attack surface.
RemediationAI
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis - the Patchstack advisory documents the vulnerability through 1.4 but does not cite a fixed release version, so administrators should monitor the Axiomthemes ThemeForest/Envato changelog for a version higher than 1.4 and upgrade as soon as one is published. In the interim, deploy a virtual patch via Patchstack mPanel or a WAF rule (Wordfence, NinjaFirewall, ModSecurity) that blocks include/file/page/template parameters containing path traversal sequences (../), null bytes, php:// wrappers, or absolute paths to sensitive files such as wp-config.php; the trade-off is potential false positives against legitimate template-loader requests, so test in detection mode first. As a stricter compensating control, disable the Confidant theme and switch to a different theme until a fix is available, harden PHP with open_basedir restrictions scoped to the WordPress document root (this will break plugins that legitimately read outside the webroot), and set allow_url_include=Off and disable_functions for include-related wrappers to prevent escalation from LFI to RFI/RCE. Restrict outbound network access from the PHP worker to make log-poisoning and credential-exfiltration follow-ons harder.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
Confidant is a commercial WordPress theme distributed by Axiomthemes. The flaw is classified as CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement), the canonical PHP file-inclusion weakness in which user-controlled input flows into include/require/include_once/require_once without proper sanitization or allowlisting. Although CWE-98 is the parent class for both Remote File Inclusion (RFI) and Local File Inclusion (LFI), the description explicitly limits the impact to LFI, meaning attacker-controlled values can reference files already present on the server (e.g., wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, session files, log files) rather than fetching remote PHP from an external URL. WordPress themes typically expose vulnerable include sinks through AJAX handlers, template-loader parameters, or page-builder shortcode handlers reachable via wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or the front-end. CPE coverage is cpe:2.3:a:axiomthemes:confidant:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*, indicating all released branches up to 1.4 are in scope.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from Vendor (Patchstack) · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorVendor: Patchstack
DescriptionCVE.org
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in Axiomthemes Confidant allows PHP Local File Inclusion.
This issue affects Confidant: from n/a through 1.4.
Executive ViewAI
Axiomthemes Confidant WordPress theme (versions 1.4 and earlier) contains a local file inclusion vulnerability exposing organizations to unauthorized access to sensitive files and potential server compromise. Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this over the network, though successful exploitation requires specific technical conditions. No vendor patch currently exists, creating a material risk window for affected WordPress deployments that handle sensitive data or serve business-critical functions.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: (1) Deploy WAF rules targeting local file inclusion (LFI) signatures such as directory traversal sequences and php:// stream protocols; (2) Enforce strict input validation and sanitization in WordPress configuration; (3) Disable the Confidant theme immediately on high-risk properties or isolate them behind network-level access controls; (4) Implement real-time log monitoring to detect exploitation attempts; (5) Restrict file permissions and disable dangerous PHP functions (exec, system, passthru) via php.ini hardening.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Local File Inclusion vulnerabilities occur when an application accepts user-controlled input to specify which file should be loaded or executed, typically through functions like PHP's `include()`, `require()`, or `fopen()`.
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
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EUVD-2025-210036
GHSA-g258-5m36-gv56
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB