CVE-2025-53252 is a critical vulnerability identified in the zozothemes Zegen PHP theme, specifically involving improper control of filenames used in include or require statements within PHP code. This flaw allows an attacker to perform Remote File Inclusion (RFI), a type of attack where the attacker can supply a remote file path that the application will include and execute. The vulnerability affects all versions of Zegen up to and including 1.1.9. Because PHP include/require statements execute the contents of the specified file, an attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary PHP code on the server remotely without authentication or user interaction. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the critical nature of this vulnerability, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). This means exploitation is straightforward and can lead to full system compromise, including data exfiltration, defacement, or denial of service. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2025 and published in November 2025, with no known exploits in the wild at the time of reporting. The root cause is insufficient validation or sanitization of user-supplied input used in dynamic include/require statements, a common PHP security pitfall. Without proper controls, attackers can specify external URLs or local paths to malicious files, which the server then executes. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in web hosting environments running PHP and using the Zegen theme, often deployed on WordPress sites. The lack of available patches at publication time necessitates immediate mitigation steps to prevent exploitation.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-53252 can be severe. Organizations using the Zegen theme on PHP-based web platforms, especially WordPress, risk full server compromise. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, including personal data protected under GDPR, intellectual property theft, website defacement, and service outages. The critical nature of the vulnerability means attackers can execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication, increasing the risk of ransomware deployment or pivoting to internal networks. E-commerce, government, and financial sectors are particularly vulnerable due to the sensitive nature of their data and reliance on web presence. Additionally, compromised sites may be used to distribute malware or conduct phishing campaigns, further amplifying the threat. The potential for widespread impact is heightened by the popularity of PHP and WordPress in Europe. Failure to address this vulnerability promptly could result in regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and significant operational disruption.

Immediate mitigation should focus on removing or restricting the vulnerable include/require functionality in the Zegen theme. Until an official patch is released, organizations should: 1) Disable or remove the Zegen theme if feasible or replace it with a secure alternative. 2) Implement strict input validation and sanitization on any parameters influencing file inclusion to allow only whitelisted local files. 3) Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block RFI attempts, including suspicious URL patterns or remote file references. 4) Monitor web server and application logs for unusual include requests or error messages indicative of exploitation attempts. 5) Restrict PHP configuration settings such as allow_url_include=Off and allow_url_fopen=Off to prevent remote file inclusion. 6) Conduct thorough code audits to identify and remediate similar insecure coding patterns. 7) Plan for rapid deployment of official patches from zozothemes once available. 8) Educate development and operations teams about secure coding practices related to dynamic file inclusion. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on theme-specific controls, PHP configuration hardening, and proactive monitoring tailored to this vulnerability.