CVE-2025-48330 is a critical vulnerability classified as Remote File Inclusion (RFI) in the Daman Jeet Real Time Validation plugin for Gravity Forms, a popular WordPress form validation extension. The flaw arises from improper control over the filename parameter used in PHP include or require statements, allowing an attacker to specify a remote file to be included and executed by the server. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.7.0. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N), making it trivially exploitable remotely. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution, full system compromise, data leakage, and denial of service. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability severely, as reflected by the CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8. Although no public exploits have been observed yet, the nature of RFI vulnerabilities historically leads to rapid exploitation once disclosed. The plugin’s usage in WordPress environments, which are commonly internet-facing, increases exposure. The vulnerability was reserved in May 2025 and published in November 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. No official patches or mitigation links are currently provided, necessitating immediate defensive actions by administrators.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the widespread use of WordPress and Gravity Forms for business websites, customer portals, and data collection forms. Exploitation could result in unauthorized access to sensitive customer data, intellectual property theft, website defacement, or complete server takeover. This can lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to data breaches, reputational damage, and operational downtime. Public sector entities, e-commerce platforms, and financial services using this plugin are particularly vulnerable. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication amplifies the threat, potentially enabling attackers to establish persistent backdoors or pivot within internal networks. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently provides a narrow window for mitigation before active attacks emerge.

1. Immediately audit all WordPress installations for the presence of the Daman Jeet Real Time Validation plugin and identify versions up to 1.7.0. 2. Apply vendor patches as soon as they become available; monitor official sources and security advisories closely. 3. In the absence of patches, disable or remove the vulnerable plugin to eliminate the attack surface. 4. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on all parameters that influence file inclusion paths to prevent injection of remote URLs. 5. Configure PHP settings to disable allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen directives to prevent remote file inclusion. 6. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules targeting RFI attack patterns to block malicious requests. 7. Conduct regular security scans and penetration tests focusing on plugin vulnerabilities. 8. Monitor logs for suspicious activity related to file inclusion or unexpected PHP executions. 9. Educate development and operations teams about secure coding practices to avoid similar vulnerabilities in custom plugins or themes. 10. Maintain an incident response plan to quickly contain and remediate any exploitation attempts.