CVE-2025-58890 is a Remote File Inclusion (RFI) vulnerability found in the AncoraThemes Playful WordPress theme, versions up to and including 1.19.0. The vulnerability arises from improper control over the filename parameter used in PHP include or require statements, allowing an attacker to specify a remote file to be included and executed by the server. This flaw enables an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary PHP code remotely by supplying a crafted URL parameter that points to a malicious file hosted elsewhere. The vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction, making it trivially exploitable over the network. Successful exploitation results in a full compromise of confidentiality, as attackers can read sensitive files or exfiltrate data, and partial integrity loss, as attackers can execute code that may alter site content or behavior. Availability is not directly impacted, but secondary effects such as defacement or backdoors could cause service disruption. The vulnerability was published on December 18, 2025, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2, indicating high severity. No known public exploits have been reported yet, but the nature of RFI vulnerabilities historically leads to rapid exploitation once disclosed. The affected product, Playful, is a WordPress theme distributed by AncoraThemes, commonly used by small to medium websites for blogging or business purposes. The lack of patch links suggests that either a patch is pending or users must apply manual mitigations. The vulnerability is critical because it allows remote code execution without authentication, posing a severe risk to affected websites.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-58890 can be significant, especially for those relying on WordPress sites using the Playful theme. Confidentiality breaches could expose sensitive customer data, internal documents, or credentials stored on the web server. Integrity loss may lead to website defacement, injection of malicious content, or installation of persistent backdoors, undermining trust and brand reputation. Although availability is not directly compromised, secondary effects such as injected malware or spam campaigns could result in blacklisting by search engines or hosting providers, causing downtime or loss of business. Small and medium enterprises, NGOs, and public sector websites using this theme are particularly vulnerable due to limited security resources. The vulnerability also poses risks to supply chain security if exploited to compromise websites that serve as distribution points for software or information. Given the ease of exploitation and lack of required authentication, attackers can rapidly compromise multiple sites, leading to widespread impact across European digital infrastructure.

European organizations should immediately verify if their WordPress installations use the AncoraThemes Playful theme, particularly versions up to 1.19.0. If so, they should seek official patches or updates from AncoraThemes and apply them without delay. In the absence of an official patch, manual mitigation involves auditing the theme's PHP files to identify include/require statements that accept external input and implementing strict input validation and sanitization to restrict file paths to local, trusted directories only. Employing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block suspicious file inclusion attempts can provide additional protection. Organizations should also conduct thorough security scans to detect any signs of compromise, such as unexpected files or code injections. Regular backups and incident response plans should be reviewed and updated to handle potential exploitation. Finally, monitoring vulnerability disclosure sources and threat intelligence feeds for updates on exploits or patches is critical to maintain timely defenses.