CVE-2025-53443
Published: 18 December 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-53443 is a high-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability in Axiomthemes Smash. 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-2025-53443 is an Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program vulnerability, classified under CWE-98 and commonly known as PHP Remote File Inclusion, which enables PHP Local File Inclusion in the Smash WordPress theme developed by axiomthemes. This issue affects Smash versions from n/a through 1.7 inclusive. The vulnerability was published on 2025-12-18T08:15:54.760 and 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).
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability over the network without requiring privileges or user interaction, though it demands high attack complexity. Successful exploitation grants high-impact access to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, potentially allowing unauthenticated remote parties to include and execute local PHP files on the server.
Mitigation guidance is available in the Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/smash/vulnerability/wordpress-smash-theme-1-7-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability?_s_id=cve.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-204208
Vulnerability details
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in axiomthemes Smash smash allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Smash: from n/a through <= 1.7.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
The vulnerability is a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) in a public-facing WordPress theme, enabling unauthenticated remote code execution via exploitation of a public-facing web application.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly mitigates the vulnerability by requiring timely patching of the Smash WordPress theme to fix the improper filename control in PHP include/require statements.
Requires validation of user-supplied filenames to block malicious inputs that enable local file inclusion via path traversal or arbitrary local PHP file execution.
Enforces restrictions on filename inputs to whitelist only safe, approved files, preventing attackers from specifying arbitrary local PHP files for inclusion.