CVE-2025-26909

Critical

Published: 27 March 2025

Published

27 March 2025

Modified

23 April 2026

KEV Added

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Patch

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CVSS Score 9.6 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Score 0.0020 41.8th percentile

Risk Priority 19 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2025-26909 is a critical-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability in Wpplugins Hide My Wp Ghost. Its CVSS base score is 9.6 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 41.8th 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-2 Flaw Remediation good match

prevent

Timely flaw remediation through patching the vulnerable Hide My WP Ghost WordPress plugin directly eliminates the PHP local file inclusion vulnerability.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match

prevent

Information input validation enforces proper checking of filenames used in PHP include/require statements, preventing malicious local file inclusion by remote attackers.

SC-7 Boundary Protection partial match

preventdetect

Boundary protection via web application firewalls or similar controls can block or detect network-based exploitation attempts targeting the file inclusion vulnerability.

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 →

T1059.004 Unix Shell Execution

Adversaries may abuse Unix shell commands and scripts for execution.

attack.mitre.org →

Why these techniques?

The vulnerability is an LFI in a public-facing WordPress plugin that enables RCE, directly mapping to T1190 for initial access via public app exploitation and T1059.004 for Unix shell command execution post-RCE.

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

NVD Description

Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in John Darrel Hide My WP Ghost hide-my-wp allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Hide My WP Ghost: from n/a through <= 5.4.01.

Deeper analysisAI

CVE-2025-26909 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, in the Hide My WP Ghost WordPress plugin developed by John Darrel. This issue affects all versions of the plugin from n/a through 5.4.01. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.6 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H) and is associated with CWE-98.

Remote, unauthenticated attackers can exploit the vulnerability over the network with low attack complexity, though it requires user interaction. Exploitation allows attackers to achieve high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability with a changed scope, potentially leading to remote code execution via the local file inclusion path.

The Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/hide-my-wp/vulnerability/wordpress-hide-my-wp-ghost-plugin-5-4-01-local-file-inclusion-to-rce-vulnerability?_s_id=cve provides details on the vulnerability, including mitigation recommendations.