CVE-2025-67524 is a critical Remote File Inclusion vulnerability affecting the NooTheme Jobmonster Elementor Addon, a plugin used in WordPress environments to extend Elementor functionality for job listing sites. The root cause is improper validation and control of filenames passed to PHP's include or require statements, which allows an attacker to specify arbitrary remote files to be included and executed by the server. This vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over the network. Successful exploitation enables attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code on the affected server, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, website defacement, or pivoting to internal networks. The CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8 reflects the vulnerability's criticality, with attack vector being network-based, low attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. The affected versions include all releases up to and including 1.1.4 of the Jobmonster Elementor Addon. No official patches or updates are currently linked, increasing the urgency for users to apply mitigations or monitor for vendor updates. While no active exploits have been reported yet, the nature of RFI vulnerabilities and the popularity of WordPress plugins make this a high-risk issue.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a severe risk, especially for companies relying on WordPress-based job portals or recruitment platforms using the Jobmonster Elementor Addon. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive candidate and employee data, disruption of recruitment services, and potential lateral movement within corporate networks. The criticality of the vulnerability means attackers can compromise confidentiality by stealing data, integrity by altering site content or code, and availability by causing denial of service or server crashes. Given the widespread use of WordPress and Elementor in Europe, organizations in sectors such as HR, recruitment agencies, and job boards are particularly vulnerable. The impact extends beyond direct victims as compromised servers can be used for further attacks, including phishing or malware distribution targeting European users. Regulatory implications under GDPR also increase the consequences of data breaches resulting from this vulnerability.

Organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the presence of the Jobmonster Elementor Addon plugin and verify its version. Until an official patch is released, the following specific mitigations are recommended: 1) Disable or remove the Jobmonster Elementor Addon plugin if it is not essential. 2) Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block requests attempting to exploit file inclusion patterns, such as suspicious URL parameters containing remote file paths or protocols (e.g., http://, ftp://). 3) Restrict PHP configuration settings by disabling allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen to prevent inclusion of remote files. 4) Employ strict input validation and sanitization on any user-controllable parameters related to file inclusion. 5) Monitor web server logs for unusual requests that may indicate exploitation attempts. 6) Segregate and harden servers hosting WordPress sites to limit the impact of potential compromise. 7) Stay alert for vendor updates or patches and apply them promptly once available. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on immediate risk reduction in the absence of a patch.