CVE-2025-49297 is a high-severity Path Traversal vulnerability affecting Mikado-Themes' WordPress themes Grill and Chow, up to version 1.6. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-35, which involves improper neutralization of special elements used in a path, allowing an attacker to manipulate file paths. Specifically, this flaw enables PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI), where an attacker can craft malicious requests to include arbitrary files from the server's filesystem. This can lead to disclosure of sensitive files, execution of arbitrary code, or full system compromise depending on the server configuration and the files accessible. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 8.1, indicating a high impact with network attack vector (AV:N), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, making it exploitable remotely by unauthenticated attackers. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild yet, the severity and nature of the vulnerability suggest that exploitation could be straightforward once a proof-of-concept is developed. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation. Grill and Chow themes are used primarily in WordPress-based websites, often in the hospitality and restaurant sectors, which may store sensitive customer data and payment information, increasing the risk profile.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for businesses using WordPress sites with the affected Mikado-Themes Grill and Chow themes. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive customer data, including personal and payment information, violating GDPR requirements and potentially resulting in heavy fines and reputational damage. The ability to execute arbitrary code or include local files can lead to full website defacement, data theft, or pivoting to internal networks, impacting business continuity and trust. Hospitality and restaurant sectors, which are prominent in countries like Italy, Spain, France, and Germany, could be particularly targeted due to the theme's focus. Additionally, compromised websites could be used as a vector for further attacks such as phishing or malware distribution, amplifying the threat to European users and customers. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact means that organizations could face data breaches, service outages, and loss of data integrity, all critical concerns under European cybersecurity regulations.

Immediate mitigation steps include auditing all WordPress sites for the use of Mikado-Themes Grill and Chow themes and identifying versions up to 1.6. Since no official patches are available yet, organizations should consider temporarily disabling or replacing the affected themes with secure alternatives. Implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAF) with custom rules to detect and block path traversal patterns in URL parameters can reduce exposure. Restricting PHP file inclusion and disabling unnecessary PHP functions such as 'include' and 'require' where possible can limit exploitation. Regularly monitoring web server logs for suspicious requests targeting file inclusion or path traversal attempts is critical for early detection. Organizations should also ensure that file permissions on the server are strictly configured to prevent unauthorized file access. Once patches are released by Mikado-Themes, prompt application is essential. Additionally, conducting security awareness training for web administrators on theme/plugin vulnerabilities and secure update practices will help maintain long-term security posture.