CVE-2025-48125 is a high-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-98, which pertains to improper control of filenames used in include or require statements within PHP programs. Specifically, this vulnerability affects the WP Event Manager plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 3.1.49. The flaw allows an attacker to perform a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) attack by manipulating the filename parameter used in include or require statements. This can lead to the inclusion and execution of arbitrary files on the server, potentially resulting in full system compromise. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring authentication or user interaction, but it has a high attack complexity, indicating that exploitation may require specific conditions or knowledge about the target environment. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.1, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to read sensitive files, execute arbitrary code, or cause denial of service by including malicious or unintended files. No known public exploits have been reported yet, and no official patches are currently available, increasing the urgency for mitigation and monitoring. The vulnerability arises from insufficient validation or sanitization of user-supplied input used in PHP include/require statements, a common vector for remote file inclusion attacks in PHP applications.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the WP Event Manager plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data, including personal data protected under GDPR, intellectual property, or internal configuration files. Attackers could also execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to full server compromise, lateral movement within networks, or deployment of ransomware or other malware. The availability of affected services could be disrupted, impacting business operations and customer trust. Given the widespread use of WordPress and event management plugins in sectors such as education, government, and commerce across Europe, the impact could be broad. Organizations handling sensitive or regulated data are particularly at risk, as breaches could result in regulatory penalties and reputational damage. The lack of available patches means that organizations must rely on immediate mitigation and monitoring to reduce exposure.

1. Immediate mitigation should include disabling or removing the WP Event Manager plugin until a patch is released. 2. Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious requests attempting to exploit file inclusion vectors, such as those containing directory traversal sequences or unexpected parameters in include/require statements. 3. Restrict PHP file inclusion paths using open_basedir or similar PHP configuration directives to limit the directories from which files can be included. 4. Conduct thorough input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied inputs, especially those used in file operations, to prevent injection of malicious paths. 5. Monitor web server and application logs for unusual access patterns or errors indicative of attempted exploitation. 6. Prepare for rapid deployment of patches once available by maintaining an inventory of affected systems and plugin versions. 7. Educate development and security teams about secure coding practices related to file inclusion and PHP application security. 8. Consider isolating WordPress instances in segmented network zones to limit potential lateral movement in case of compromise.