CVE-2025-69064 is a Remote File Inclusion (RFI) vulnerability found in the AncoraThemes Pets Land WordPress theme versions up to 1.2.8. The root cause is improper control over the filename parameter used in PHP include or require statements, which allows an attacker to specify a remote file to be included and executed by the server. This can lead to arbitrary code execution, enabling attackers to run malicious scripts, steal sensitive data, modify website content, or gain persistent access to the underlying server environment. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring authentication or user interaction, increasing its risk profile. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.1 reflects high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, though the attack complexity is rated high, indicating some difficulty in exploitation. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be considered critical for websites using this theme. The issue affects WordPress sites running the vulnerable Pets Land theme, which is popular among pet-related business websites and blogs. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure means organizations must implement interim mitigations to prevent exploitation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant threat to websites using the AncoraThemes Pets Land theme. Successful exploitation can lead to full website compromise, data breaches involving customer or business data, defacement of public-facing websites, and potential pivoting to internal networks if the web server is connected to sensitive systems. This can result in reputational damage, regulatory penalties under GDPR due to data exposure, and operational disruptions. Small and medium enterprises in the pet services sector, e-commerce, and related industries are particularly at risk if they rely on this theme. The remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit increases the likelihood of automated attacks targeting vulnerable sites across Europe. Additionally, compromised sites can be used as launchpads for further attacks or to distribute malware, amplifying the threat landscape.

Immediate mitigation steps include: 1) Monitoring for updates or patches from AncoraThemes and applying them as soon as they become available. 2) If no patch is available, manually reviewing and modifying the theme’s PHP files to enforce strict validation and sanitization of any parameters used in include/require statements, ensuring only local, trusted files can be included. 3) Employing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block suspicious requests attempting remote file inclusion. 4) Restricting outbound HTTP requests from the web server to prevent fetching remote malicious files. 5) Conducting regular security audits and scanning WordPress installations for vulnerable themes and plugins. 6) Isolating the web server environment and limiting permissions to reduce the impact of a potential compromise. 7) Educating site administrators about the risks and signs of exploitation to enable rapid incident response.