CVE-2025-48290 is a critical Remote File Inclusion vulnerability found in the bslthemes Kinsley PHP theme, affecting all versions up to and including 3.4.4. The vulnerability stems from improper validation and control of filenames used in PHP include or require statements, which are functions that incorporate external files into a PHP script at runtime. An attacker can exploit this flaw by manipulating the input that determines the filename, causing the application to include a remote malicious file. This leads to remote code execution (RCE), allowing the attacker to run arbitrary PHP code on the server. The vulnerability does not require any authentication or user interaction, making it trivially exploitable over the network. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the critical nature of this flaw, with attack vector being network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and full impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although no public exploits or active exploitation have been reported yet, the vulnerability is highly dangerous given the widespread use of PHP themes in web applications and content management systems. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for organizations to apply mitigations or updates once available. The vulnerability was reserved in May 2025 and published in November 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure.

For European organizations, exploitation of CVE-2025-48290 could lead to severe consequences including full system compromise, data theft, defacement of websites, or disruption of services. Organizations relying on the Kinsley theme for their web presence or e-commerce platforms risk unauthorized access to sensitive customer data, intellectual property, and internal systems. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication means attackers can deploy malware, ransomware, or use the compromised servers as pivot points for further attacks within corporate networks. This can result in regulatory non-compliance, especially under GDPR, leading to financial penalties and reputational damage. The availability impact could disrupt business operations, affecting customer trust and revenue. Given the criticality and ease of exploitation, the threat is particularly acute for sectors with high online presence such as retail, finance, and government services in Europe.

1. Immediately identify and inventory all instances of the bslthemes Kinsley theme in use within your environment. 2. Monitor vendor communications and apply official patches or updates as soon as they are released. 3. In the absence of patches, implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block suspicious requests attempting to manipulate include/require parameters. 4. Restrict PHP configuration directives such as allow_url_include to 'Off' to prevent remote file inclusion. 5. Employ input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied inputs that influence file inclusion logic. 6. Conduct thorough code reviews to identify and remediate unsafe dynamic file inclusion patterns. 7. Isolate web servers running vulnerable themes in segmented network zones to limit lateral movement. 8. Regularly back up web application data and configurations to enable rapid recovery. 9. Enhance monitoring and logging to detect anomalous file inclusion attempts or unexpected PHP execution. 10. Educate development and security teams about secure coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities.