CVE-2025-23949
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2025-23949 is a high-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability. Its CVSS base score is 8.1 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 43% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
The vulnerability is a PHP Local File Inclusion flaw (CWE-98) in the Improved Sale Badges – Free Version WordPress plugin. It arises from improper control of filenames passed to include/require statements and affects all versions through 1.0.1.
An unauthenticated attacker can exploit the issue remotely over the network, although the attack requires high complexity. Successful exploitation can permit an attacker to include arbitrary local PHP files, resulting in high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The issue is tracked in the Patchstack advisory database, which identifies the affected plugin versions and links to the corresponding CVE record. The EPSS score remains low and unchanged at 0.0161 with no observed rise after disclosure.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-3562
Vulnerability Data
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in dzeriho Improved Sale Badges – Free Version improved-sale-badges-free-version allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Improved Sale Badges – Free Version: from n/a through…
more
<= 1.0.1.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Developer testing and static analysis can discover missing filename restrictions before deployment.
Validating all inputs before they reach include/require statements directly stops untrusted filenames from being used.
Enforcing access authorizations on resources limits what an included file can reach even if a bad name is supplied.
Information-flow rules can block the loading of external or unauthorized files into the PHP process.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure SDLC practices such as input validation and allow-listing of include paths directly prevent the weakness.
Hardened runtime configuration (e.g., allow_url_include=off) directly blocks RFI even if code is flawed.
Execution restrictions can prevent the remote payload from running, while eliminating the weakness reduces the need for such controls.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing can detect RFI but does not prevent the weakness by itself.
Secure development lifecycle mandates input validation and safe include/require patterns that directly prevent remote file inclusion.
Application security requirements explicitly call for controls against injection and unsafe file operations.
Secure architecture principles reduce attack surface but do not specifically address dynamic file inclusion.
Secure coding standards directly require whitelisting and sanitization of filenames used in include/require statements.