CVE-2025-60042 is a remote file inclusion (RFI) vulnerability identified in the AncoraThemes Chinchilla WordPress theme, affecting all versions up to and including 1.16. 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 remote code execution (RCE) without requiring authentication, although user interaction is necessary, likely via crafted HTTP requests. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1, indicating high severity, with an attack vector over the network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but requiring user interaction (UI:R). The impact on confidentiality and integrity is high, as attackers can execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to data theft, website defacement, or further network compromise. Availability impact is rated low since the vulnerability does not inherently cause denial of service. No official patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported. The vulnerability was reserved in September 2025 and published in December 2025, indicating recent discovery. AncoraThemes Chinchilla is a PHP-based WordPress theme, commonly used in European websites, making this vulnerability relevant for organizations relying on this theme for their web presence.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites using the AncoraThemes Chinchilla theme, especially those with public-facing PHP environments. Successful exploitation can lead to remote code execution, allowing attackers to compromise website integrity, steal sensitive data, implant malware, or pivot to internal networks. This can result in reputational damage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR breaches due to data exposure), and operational disruptions. Given the high market penetration of WordPress and AncoraThemes in countries like Germany, the UK, France, and Italy, organizations in these countries face elevated risk. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to target e-commerce platforms, government portals, or corporate websites, which are critical infrastructure in the European digital economy. The lack of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the ease of exploitation and high impact necessitate urgent action.

1. Immediately monitor for updates from AncoraThemes and apply patches or theme updates that address CVE-2025-60042 as soon as they are released. 2. In the absence of official patches, implement strict input validation and sanitization on all parameters that influence include/require statements in PHP code, ensuring only allowed local files can be referenced. 3. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests attempting remote file inclusion, such as those containing URL schemes or unexpected file paths. 4. Restrict PHP configurations by disabling allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen directives to prevent inclusion of remote files. 5. Conduct regular security audits and code reviews of customizations to the Chinchilla theme or related plugins to detect unsafe file inclusion patterns. 6. Limit user interaction vectors by enforcing CAPTCHA or other bot mitigation techniques on forms or endpoints that could be exploited. 7. Maintain comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect anomalous activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 8. Educate web administrators and developers about secure coding practices related to file inclusion vulnerabilities.