CVE-2025-48298 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 SEOPress plugin for MainWP, developed by Benjamin Denis, in versions up to 1.4. The flaw allows for PHP Remote File Inclusion (RFI) or Local File Inclusion (LFI), enabling an attacker to manipulate the filename parameter used in PHP include or require functions. This can lead to the inclusion and execution of arbitrary files, potentially remote or local, on the vulnerable server. The vulnerability arises because the application does not properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input that determines which files are included, allowing attackers to specify malicious payloads. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5 (High) reflects the vulnerability's network attack vector (AV:N), requiring high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges (PR:N), but some user interaction (UI:R). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating that successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data theft, or service disruption. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, suggesting that the vulnerability is newly disclosed and may not yet be widely exploited. The vulnerability affects SEOPress for MainWP, a WordPress plugin used for SEO management across multiple WordPress sites via the MainWP dashboard, which is popular among website administrators managing multiple client sites. The vulnerability could be exploited by tricking an authenticated user (likely an admin) into clicking a malicious link or visiting a crafted page, which then triggers the inclusion of malicious PHP code, leading to remote code execution or data exposure.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for agencies, digital marketing firms, and enterprises managing multiple WordPress sites using MainWP with the SEOPress plugin. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, defacement of websites, injection of malicious content, or full server compromise. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, attackers could steal personal data protected under GDPR, leading to regulatory fines and reputational damage. The requirement for user interaction and no privileges means that phishing or social engineering could be effective attack vectors. The lack of patches increases the window of exposure. Organizations relying on these tools for SEO and site management must consider the risk of lateral movement within their networks if attackers gain footholds through this vulnerability. Additionally, compromised sites could be used to distribute malware or conduct further attacks against European users or customers.

Immediate mitigation steps include disabling or uninstalling the SEOPress plugin for MainWP until a security patch is released. Organizations should audit their WordPress environments to identify installations of SEOPress for MainWP and restrict access to the MainWP dashboard to trusted administrators only. Employing web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block attempts to exploit file inclusion vulnerabilities can reduce risk. Administrators should enforce strict input validation and sanitization on any custom code interacting with file includes. Monitoring logs for suspicious include or require statements and unusual user activity can help detect exploitation attempts. Additionally, educating users about phishing risks and avoiding clicking on untrusted links is critical since user interaction is required. Once a patch is available, prompt application is essential. Network segmentation to isolate WordPress management systems from critical infrastructure can limit impact if compromise occurs. Regular backups and incident response plans should be updated to handle potential exploitation scenarios.