CVE-2025-54028 is a high-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-98, which pertains to improper control of filenames used in include or require statements in PHP applications. Specifically, this vulnerability affects the CF7 WOW Styler plugin developed by Saleswonder Team Tobias, versions up to and including 1.7.2. The flaw allows an attacker to perform a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) attack, which can lead to remote code execution or disclosure of sensitive files on the server. The vulnerability arises because the plugin does not properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input that determines the filename to be included or required by the PHP script. This lack of control enables an attacker to manipulate the input to include arbitrary files from the local filesystem. Although the CVSS vector indicates that the attack requires user interaction (UI:R) and has a high attack complexity (AC:H), it does not require privileges (PR:N) and can be executed remotely over the network (AV:N). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is rated high, as successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise, data leakage, or denial of service. No known exploits in the wild have been reported yet, and no patches have been linked, indicating that mitigation may require vendor updates or manual code review and hardening. The vulnerability was published on August 20, 2025, with the CVSS score of 7.5, reflecting its significant risk to affected systems.

For European organizations using the CF7 WOW Styler plugin, this vulnerability poses a serious risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data, including configuration files, credentials, or customer information, potentially violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. Integrity of web applications could be compromised, allowing attackers to inject malicious code, deface websites, or pivot to internal networks. Availability may also be impacted if attackers leverage the vulnerability to cause denial of service or disrupt normal operations. Given the widespread use of WordPress and its plugins across Europe, organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, finance, healthcare, and government could be targeted. The requirement for user interaction suggests phishing or social engineering could be used to trigger the exploit, increasing the risk in environments with less security awareness. The high attack complexity may limit mass exploitation but targeted attacks against high-value European entities remain a concern.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the presence of the CF7 WOW Styler plugin, especially versions up to 1.7.2. If found, they should disable or remove the plugin until a vendor patch is available. In the absence of an official patch, organizations can mitigate risk by implementing strict input validation and sanitization on any user inputs that influence file inclusion paths. Web application firewalls (WAFs) should be configured to detect and block suspicious requests attempting directory traversal or unusual file inclusion patterns. Additionally, restricting PHP's include_path and disabling functions like include(), require(), and their variants where not necessary can reduce attack surface. Monitoring web server logs for anomalous requests and enabling intrusion detection systems can help detect exploitation attempts. Educating users to recognize phishing attempts that might trigger user interaction is also critical. Finally, organizations should maintain regular backups and have incident response plans ready to address potential compromises.