CVE-2025-53438
Published: 18 December 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-53438 is a high-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability in Axiomthemes Fitline. 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 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2025-53438 is an Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program vulnerability, classified as PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98), in the axiomthemes FitLine WordPress theme. It enables PHP Local File Inclusion and affects all versions of FitLine from n/a through 1.6. The vulnerability carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity due to its potential for significant impact.
Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely over the network, though it requires high attack complexity and no user interaction. Exploitation allows attackers to achieve high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, potentially leading to unauthorized file access or execution via local file inclusion.
Patchstack documents this issue in their database entry for the WordPress FitLine theme, detailing the Local File Inclusion vulnerability in version 1.6.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-204212
Vulnerability details
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in axiomthemes FitLine fitline allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects FitLine: from n/a through <= 1.6.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
The vulnerability is a remote file inclusion flaw in a public-facing WordPress theme, directly enabling exploitation of public-facing applications.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly remediates the PHP Local File Inclusion flaw in the FitLine WordPress theme by requiring identification, reporting, and correction of the improper filename control in include/require statements.
Requires validation and error handling of user-supplied inputs used as filenames in PHP include/require statements, preventing unauthorized local file access and execution.
Boundary protection via web application firewalls monitors and blocks network traffic containing LFI payloads exploiting the improper filename control vulnerability.