CVE-2025-49369 is a vulnerability classified as 'Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program,' commonly known as a Remote File Inclusion (RFI) flaw, found in AncoraThemes Lettuce versions up to 1.1.7. The vulnerability arises because the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input used in PHP include or require statements. This improper control enables an attacker to specify a remote file URL or a local file path that the PHP interpreter will include and execute. As a result, an attacker can execute arbitrary PHP code on the server, leading to full compromise of the web application environment. The CVSS 3.1 vector indicates the attack can be performed remotely over the network without any privileges or user interaction, but with high attack complexity, meaning some conditions must be met for successful exploitation. The impact covers confidentiality (data disclosure), integrity (code execution and modification), and availability (potential denial of service). No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, but the vulnerability is published and known. AncoraThemes Lettuce is a PHP-based theme or plugin product, often used in CMS environments, which increases the attack surface for websites using this software. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2025 and published in December 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a critical risk to websites and web applications using the AncoraThemes Lettuce theme or plugin. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized remote code execution, enabling attackers to steal sensitive data, modify website content, deploy malware, or disrupt services. This can result in data breaches violating GDPR regulations, reputational damage, financial losses, and operational downtime. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, government, finance, and media that rely on PHP-based CMS platforms are particularly vulnerable. The ability to exploit this remotely without authentication increases the threat level, especially for publicly accessible web servers. Additionally, compromised servers can be used as pivot points for lateral movement within corporate networks or to launch further attacks. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation before widespread exploitation occurs.

1. Immediately identify and inventory all instances of AncoraThemes Lettuce (version 1.1.7 or earlier) deployed within your environment. 2. Apply official patches or updates from AncoraThemes as soon as they become available. If no patch exists, consider disabling or removing the vulnerable component until a fix is released. 3. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on all user inputs that influence file inclusion or require/include statements. 4. Configure PHP settings to disable allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen directives to prevent remote file inclusion. 5. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules specifically designed to detect and block suspicious file inclusion attempts. 6. Restrict file system permissions to limit the PHP process’s ability to access or execute unauthorized files. 7. Monitor web server logs for unusual requests or patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. 8. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focusing on file inclusion vulnerabilities. 9. Educate developers and administrators about secure coding practices related to file inclusion and input handling. 10. Establish incident response procedures to quickly contain and remediate any exploitation.