Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-53198

High

Published: 20 August 2025

Published
20 August 2025
Modified
23 April 2026
KEV Added
—
Patch
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CVSS Score v3.1 8.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0016 36.4th percentile
Risk Priority 16 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2025-53198 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 at the 36.4th 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).

Deeper analysis

CVE-2025-53198 is an Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement vulnerability in PHP programs, described as PHP Remote File Inclusion but enabling PHP Local File Inclusion, affecting the Houzez WordPress theme by favethemes. The issue impacts Houzez versions from n/a through 4.0.4 and is associated with CWE-98.

Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability over the network (AV:N) with no privileges required (PR:N) and no user interaction (UI:N), though it demands high attack complexity (AC:H) and maintains unchanged scope (S:U). Exploitation yields high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H), resulting in a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1.

The Patchstack advisory documents this local file inclusion vulnerability in the Houzez WordPress theme up to version 4.0.4.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in favethemes Houzez houzez allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Houzez: from n/a through <= 4.0.4.

CWE(s)
CWE-98

Related Threats

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 →
Why these techniques?

LFI/RFI vulnerability in public-facing WordPress theme directly enables remote exploitation of a web application without auth.

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

CVEs Like This One

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CVE-2026-24531Shared CWE-98
CVE-2025-67527Shared CWE-98
CVE-2025-69396Shared CWE-98
CVE-2025-62067Shared CWE-98

Affected Assets

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SI-2 Flaw Remediation good match
prevent

Remediating the specific flaw in Houzez WordPress theme versions through <=4.0.4 directly eliminates the PHP local file inclusion vulnerability.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match
prevent

Validating filename inputs used in PHP include/require statements prevents attackers from specifying arbitrary local files for inclusion.

SI-9 Information Input Restrictions good match
prevent

Restricting filename inputs to whitelisted safe paths or directories blocks exploitation of improper filename controls in the vulnerable theme.

References