CVE-2025-63076: Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') in Dream-Theme The7 Elements
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in Dream-Theme The7 Elements dt-the7-core allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects The7 Elements: from n/a through <= 2.7.11.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2025-63076 is a vulnerability classified as Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP programs, commonly known as a Remote File Inclusion (RFI) vulnerability. It affects the Dream-Theme The7 Elements WordPress plugin, versions up to and including 2.7.11. The vulnerability occurs because the plugin fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input used in PHP include or require statements. This flaw allows an attacker to manipulate the filename parameter to include arbitrary files, potentially from remote servers or local file systems. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution on the server, enabling attackers to execute malicious PHP code, steal sensitive data, modify website content, or pivot further into the network. Although the vulnerability is currently not known to be exploited in the wild, its presence in a popular WordPress plugin used for theme elements makes it a critical risk. The lack of a CVSS score indicates that the vulnerability is newly disclosed and pending detailed scoring, but the nature of RFI vulnerabilities inherently carries a high risk. The vulnerability affects all installations running The7 Elements plugin versions up to 2.7.11, which is widely used in WordPress sites for enhanced theme functionality. The vulnerability was reserved in late October 2025 and published in December 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. No official patches or mitigations have been linked yet, emphasizing the need for immediate attention from administrators and developers using this plugin.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-63076 can be severe. Exploitation could lead to full compromise of web servers hosting WordPress sites using The7 Elements plugin, resulting in unauthorized access to sensitive customer data, intellectual property, and internal systems. This can cause data breaches violating GDPR regulations, leading to legal penalties and reputational damage. Additionally, attackers could deface websites, inject malware, or use compromised servers as launchpads for further attacks such as ransomware or lateral movement within corporate networks. E-commerce platforms and service providers relying on WordPress themes are particularly vulnerable, risking financial loss and operational disruption. The vulnerability's ability to execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication increases the attack surface and lowers the barrier for exploitation. Given the widespread use of WordPress and The7 Elements in Europe, the threat could affect a broad range of sectors including finance, healthcare, government, and retail. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the risk of rapid weaponization remains high.
Mitigation Recommendations
1. Immediate monitoring for updates from Dream-Theme and Patchstack for an official security patch addressing CVE-2025-63076. 2. Until a patch is available, disable or remove the The7 Elements plugin if feasible, especially on high-risk or critical systems. 3. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on any user inputs that could influence file inclusion paths, if custom code modifications are possible. 4. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block suspicious file inclusion attempts, such as requests containing remote URLs or directory traversal patterns. 5. Restrict PHP configuration settings to disable remote file inclusion (e.g., setting allow_url_include=Off in php.ini) and limit file system permissions to prevent unauthorized file access. 6. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability scans focusing on WordPress plugins and themes to identify similar risks. 7. Educate web administrators and developers on secure coding practices related to file inclusion and plugin management. 8. Maintain comprehensive backups of affected websites to enable rapid recovery in case of compromise. 9. Monitor web server logs for anomalous requests indicative of exploitation attempts. 10. Consider isolating WordPress instances in segmented network zones to limit lateral movement if compromised.
Affected Countries
Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Sweden
CVE-2025-63076: Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') in Dream-Theme The7 Elements
Description
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in Dream-Theme The7 Elements dt-the7-core allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects The7 Elements: from n/a through <= 2.7.11.
AI-Powered Analysis
Technical Analysis
CVE-2025-63076 is a vulnerability classified as Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP programs, commonly known as a Remote File Inclusion (RFI) vulnerability. It affects the Dream-Theme The7 Elements WordPress plugin, versions up to and including 2.7.11. The vulnerability occurs because the plugin fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input used in PHP include or require statements. This flaw allows an attacker to manipulate the filename parameter to include arbitrary files, potentially from remote servers or local file systems. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution on the server, enabling attackers to execute malicious PHP code, steal sensitive data, modify website content, or pivot further into the network. Although the vulnerability is currently not known to be exploited in the wild, its presence in a popular WordPress plugin used for theme elements makes it a critical risk. The lack of a CVSS score indicates that the vulnerability is newly disclosed and pending detailed scoring, but the nature of RFI vulnerabilities inherently carries a high risk. The vulnerability affects all installations running The7 Elements plugin versions up to 2.7.11, which is widely used in WordPress sites for enhanced theme functionality. The vulnerability was reserved in late October 2025 and published in December 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. No official patches or mitigations have been linked yet, emphasizing the need for immediate attention from administrators and developers using this plugin.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-63076 can be severe. Exploitation could lead to full compromise of web servers hosting WordPress sites using The7 Elements plugin, resulting in unauthorized access to sensitive customer data, intellectual property, and internal systems. This can cause data breaches violating GDPR regulations, leading to legal penalties and reputational damage. Additionally, attackers could deface websites, inject malware, or use compromised servers as launchpads for further attacks such as ransomware or lateral movement within corporate networks. E-commerce platforms and service providers relying on WordPress themes are particularly vulnerable, risking financial loss and operational disruption. The vulnerability's ability to execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication increases the attack surface and lowers the barrier for exploitation. Given the widespread use of WordPress and The7 Elements in Europe, the threat could affect a broad range of sectors including finance, healthcare, government, and retail. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the risk of rapid weaponization remains high.
Mitigation Recommendations
1. Immediate monitoring for updates from Dream-Theme and Patchstack for an official security patch addressing CVE-2025-63076. 2. Until a patch is available, disable or remove the The7 Elements plugin if feasible, especially on high-risk or critical systems. 3. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on any user inputs that could influence file inclusion paths, if custom code modifications are possible. 4. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block suspicious file inclusion attempts, such as requests containing remote URLs or directory traversal patterns. 5. Restrict PHP configuration settings to disable remote file inclusion (e.g., setting allow_url_include=Off in php.ini) and limit file system permissions to prevent unauthorized file access. 6. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability scans focusing on WordPress plugins and themes to identify similar risks. 7. Educate web administrators and developers on secure coding practices related to file inclusion and plugin management. 8. Maintain comprehensive backups of affected websites to enable rapid recovery in case of compromise. 9. Monitor web server logs for anomalous requests indicative of exploitation attempts. 10. Consider isolating WordPress instances in segmented network zones to limit lateral movement if compromised.
Affected Countries
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Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- Patchstack
- Date Reserved
- 2025-10-24T14:26:55.390Z
- Cvss Version
- null
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 69383acf29cea75c35b7703b
Added to database: 12/9/2025, 3:05:51 PM
Last enriched: 12/9/2025, 3:13:17 PM
Last updated: 12/11/2025, 6:49:39 AM
Views: 43
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