Cyber Posture

CVE-2025-68536

High

Published: 20 February 2026

Published
20 February 2026
Modified
15 April 2026
KEV Added
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Patch
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CVSS Score 8.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0006 17.4th percentile
Risk Priority 16 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Description

Adversaries may search local file systems and remote file shares for files containing insecurely stored credentials.

Security Summary

CVE-2025-68536 is an Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program vulnerability, classified as PHP Remote File Inclusion but enabling PHP Local File Inclusion (CWE-98), in the thembay Zota WordPress theme. This issue affects Zota versions from n/a through 1.3.14. The vulnerability was published on 2026-02-20 with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity due to its potential for significant impact.

Remote attackers with network access can exploit this vulnerability despite requiring high attack complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction. Successful exploitation allows high-impact compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, potentially enabling attackers to include and execute arbitrary local PHP files on the server.

Patchstack provides details on the vulnerability and mitigation in its advisory for the WordPress Zota theme version 1.3.14 at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/zota/vulnerability/wordpress-zota-theme-1-3-14-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability-2?_s_id=cve.

Details

CWE(s)
CWE-98

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
attack.mitre.org →
T1552.001 Credentials In Files Credential Access
Adversaries may search local file systems and remote file shares for files containing insecurely stored credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
Why these techniques?

Unauthenticated remote exploitation of public-facing WordPress theme (T1190) enables LFI for reading sensitive local files (T1005) including those with credentials like wp-config.php (T1552.001).

Confidence: HIGH · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

References