CVE-2025-15368

High

Published: 04 February 2026

Published

04 February 2026

Modified

15 April 2026

KEV Added

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Patch

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CVSS Score 8.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Score 0.0007 20.5th percentile

Risk Priority 18 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2025-15368 is a high-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability in Wordpress (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 20.5th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).

Threat & Defense at a Glance

What attackers do: exploitation maps to Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190) and 1 other technique. What defenders deploy: see the NIST 800-53 controls recommended below.

Threat & Defense Details

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match

prevent

Directly implements validation of shortcode attributes like 'template_name' to block malicious local file paths and prevent LFI exploitation.

SI-2 Flaw Remediation good match

prevent

Mandates timely identification, testing, and installation of patches for the SportsPress plugin's LFI flaw as documented in remediation changesets.

AC-6 Least Privilege partial match

prevent

Enforces least privilege to restrict contributor-level permissions, limiting the users able to authenticate and trigger the vulnerable shortcode.

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI

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 →

T1100 Web Shell Persistence

A Web shell is a Web script that is placed on an openly accessible Web server to allow an adversary to use the Web server as a gateway into a network.

attack.mitre.org →

Why these techniques?

LFI in public-facing WordPress plugin directly enables T1190 exploitation; arbitrary PHP file inclusion facilitates web shell deployment and code execution (T1100).

Confidence: HIGH · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v18.1

NVD Description

The SportsPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 2.7.26 via shortcodes 'template_name' attribute. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level and above permissions, to include and execute arbitrary…

files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls, obtain sensitive data, or achieve code execution in cases where php file type can be uploaded and included.

Deeper analysisAI

CVE-2025-15368 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the SportsPress plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 2.7.26. The flaw exists in the handling of the 'template_name' attribute within shortcodes, enabling improper inclusion of local files on the server.

Authenticated attackers with contributor-level permissions or higher can exploit this vulnerability over the network with low complexity. Successful exploitation allows inclusion and execution of arbitrary files, including PHP code, which can bypass access controls, disclose sensitive data, or achieve code execution on the server if PHP files are uploadable.

Advisories and patch details are documented in WordPress plugin Trac repositories, including code locations in class-sp-shortcodes.php and sp-core-functions.php, as well as a specific changeset for remediation. Additional threat intelligence is available from Wordfence.