CVE-2025-53437
Published: 18 December 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-53437 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 32.9th 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 RA-5 (Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2025-53437 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 (LFI), in the ApusTheme Greenorganic WordPress theme. It affects all versions of Greenorganic from n/a through 2.45. The vulnerability carries 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) and maps to CWE-98.
Unauthenticated attackers with network access can exploit this vulnerability, though it requires high attack complexity and no user interaction. Successful exploitation allows high-impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability violations, typically through local file inclusion to access sensitive files on the server or potentially execute arbitrary code if exploitable local files are included.
The Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/greenorganic/vulnerability/wordpress-greenorganic-theme-2-45-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability?_s_id=cve documents the issue, with mitigation centered on updating the Greenorganic theme beyond version 2.45 to patched releases.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-204213
Vulnerability details
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in ApusTheme Greenorganic greenorganic allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Greenorganic: from n/a through <= 2.45.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
LFI vulnerability in public-facing WordPress theme enables remote exploitation of public-facing application (T1190) and facilitates reading data from local system via arbitrary file inclusion (T1005).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Requires timely identification, reporting, and correction of the specific flaw in the Greenorganic WordPress theme, directly enabling patching to versions beyond 2.45 to prevent LFI exploitation.
Mandates validation of filename inputs for PHP include/require statements, directly mitigating the improper control that enables local file inclusion attacks.
Implements vulnerability scanning to identify the LFI vulnerability (CVE-2025-53437) in the Greenorganic theme, allowing proactive detection and remediation before exploitation.