CVE-2026-27052 is a vulnerability classified as Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP programs, specifically affecting the villatheme Sales Countdown Timer plugin for WooCommerce and WordPress (versions up to 1.1.8.1). This vulnerability allows Remote File Inclusion (RFI), where an attacker can manipulate the filename parameter used in PHP's include or require statements to load arbitrary files. This can lead to Local File Inclusion (LFI) or Remote File Inclusion, depending on the server configuration and input sanitization. The attacker can exploit this flaw by crafting a specially crafted request that causes the plugin to include malicious code hosted remotely or on the local filesystem. Successful exploitation can result in arbitrary code execution, allowing the attacker to execute commands on the web server, potentially leading to full system compromise, data theft, defacement, or pivoting to other internal systems. The vulnerability affects e-commerce sites using WooCommerce with this plugin, which is popular for adding sales countdown timers to product pages. No CVSS score is currently assigned, and no public exploits have been reported yet, but the nature of RFI vulnerabilities makes them highly critical once weaponized. The vulnerability was published on February 19, 2026, and is tracked by Patchstack. The lack of a patch link indicates that a fix may not yet be available, increasing urgency for mitigation.

For European organizations, especially those operating e-commerce platforms using WooCommerce and the vulnerable Sales Countdown Timer plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Exploitation can lead to unauthorized code execution on web servers, resulting in data breaches involving customer information, payment details, and intellectual property. It can also cause website defacement or downtime, damaging brand reputation and causing financial losses. The vulnerability could be leveraged to deploy malware or ransomware, impacting business continuity. Given the widespread use of WooCommerce in Europe, particularly in countries with mature e-commerce markets like Germany, the UK, France, and the Netherlands, the potential impact is substantial. Additionally, compromised e-commerce sites can be used as launchpads for further attacks within corporate networks or supply chains. Regulatory implications under GDPR also increase the stakes, as data breaches must be reported and can lead to heavy fines.

Immediate mitigation steps include disabling the Sales Countdown Timer plugin until a security patch is released by villatheme. Organizations should monitor official vendor channels for updates and apply patches promptly once available. Web application firewalls (WAFs) should be configured to detect and block suspicious requests attempting to exploit file inclusion vulnerabilities, such as those containing unexpected URL parameters or file paths. Input validation and sanitization should be enforced at the application level to prevent malicious input from reaching include/require statements. Restricting PHP configurations to disable remote file inclusion (e.g., setting allow_url_include=Off) and limiting file system permissions to prevent unauthorized file access can reduce exploitation impact. Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning of WordPress plugins should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues proactively. Additionally, monitoring web server logs for anomalous inclusion attempts can provide early detection of exploitation attempts.