CVE-2025-53441 is a Remote File Inclusion (RFI) vulnerability found in the axiomthemes Greeny WordPress theme, affecting versions up to 2.6. The vulnerability arises from improper control over the filename parameter used in PHP include or require statements, allowing an attacker to supply a remote URL or local file path that the server will execute. This leads to remote code execution on the web server without requiring authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, but with high attack complexity due to the need to bypass any existing input restrictions. Exploiting this flaw enables attackers to run arbitrary PHP code, potentially leading to website defacement, data exfiltration, installation of backdoors, or lateral movement within the victim network. Although no public exploits are known yet, the nature of RFI vulnerabilities makes them attractive targets for attackers. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2025 and published in December 2025, indicating recent discovery. The affected product is a WordPress theme, which is widely used in European organizations for websites and e-commerce platforms, increasing the potential attack surface. The lack of available patches at the time of publication requires immediate mitigation efforts by administrators.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a critical risk to web infrastructure, especially those using the Greeny theme for their WordPress sites. Successful exploitation can lead to full compromise of web servers, exposing sensitive customer data, intellectual property, and internal systems. This can result in financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties under GDPR due to data breaches. E-commerce platforms and service providers are particularly vulnerable to service disruption and fraud. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication means attackers can deploy malware, ransomware, or use compromised servers as pivot points for further attacks. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe and the popularity of themes like Greeny, the vulnerability could affect a significant number of organizations, especially SMEs that may lack dedicated security teams. The high attack complexity may limit immediate mass exploitation, but targeted attacks against high-value targets remain a serious concern.

1. Immediately update the Greeny theme to a patched version once available from axiomthemes or remove the theme if no patch exists. 2. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on all parameters used in include/require statements to prevent injection of remote or local file paths. 3. Deploy Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules specifically designed to detect and block RFI attack patterns targeting PHP include parameters. 4. Restrict PHP configuration settings such as disabling allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen to prevent inclusion of remote files. 5. Conduct thorough security audits of all WordPress themes and plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. 6. Monitor web server logs for suspicious requests attempting to exploit file inclusion. 7. Employ network segmentation to limit the impact of a compromised web server. 8. Educate web administrators on secure coding practices and timely patch management. 9. Use runtime application self-protection (RASP) tools to detect and block malicious code execution at runtime. 10. Regularly back up website data and configurations to enable rapid recovery in case of compromise.