CVE-2025-59564 is a Remote File Inclusion (RFI) vulnerability found in the ThemeMove EduMall PHP application, specifically affecting versions prior to 4.4.5. The vulnerability arises from improper control over the filename parameter used in PHP include or require statements, allowing an attacker to supply a malicious remote file URL. When the application includes this remote file, arbitrary PHP code execution occurs on the server. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network without requiring authentication or user interaction, but with high attack complexity due to the need to identify vulnerable endpoints and craft suitable payloads. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as an attacker can execute arbitrary code, steal sensitive data, modify content, or disrupt services. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to any EduMall deployment exposed to the internet. The lack of available patches at the time of publication necessitates immediate attention to harden systems. This vulnerability is particularly critical for educational institutions and organizations relying on EduMall for e-learning, as compromise could lead to data breaches involving student and staff information, defacement of educational content, or complete system compromise.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-59564 can be severe. EduMall is used by various educational institutions and training providers, which often handle sensitive personal data protected under GDPR. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to confidential student records, intellectual property, and administrative data, resulting in privacy violations and regulatory penalties. Integrity of educational content and system configurations could be compromised, undermining trust and operational continuity. Availability may also be affected if attackers deploy ransomware or disrupt services, impacting learning activities. The remote, unauthenticated nature of the vulnerability increases the risk of widespread exploitation, especially in institutions with public-facing EduMall instances. Additionally, reputational damage and financial losses from incident response and remediation efforts could be significant. Given the strategic importance of digital education in Europe, this vulnerability represents a critical threat vector that must be addressed promptly.

1. Apply official patches or updates from ThemeMove as soon as they become available to remediate the vulnerability. 2. In the absence of patches, implement strict input validation and sanitization on all parameters used in include/require statements to prevent injection of remote URLs. 3. Disable allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen directives in PHP configurations to prevent remote file inclusion. 4. Restrict web server permissions to limit the execution context and prevent unauthorized file access. 5. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block attempts to exploit file inclusion vulnerabilities. 6. Conduct thorough code reviews and security testing on customizations or plugins integrated with EduMall. 7. Monitor logs for suspicious requests targeting include parameters or unusual outbound connections. 8. Segment and isolate EduMall servers within the network to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 9. Educate administrators on secure configuration practices and incident response procedures related to web application vulnerabilities.