CVE-2025-53446
Published: 18 December 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-53446 is a high-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability in Axiomthemes Beautique. 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 35.2th 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-2025-53446 is an Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program vulnerability, classified as PHP Remote File Inclusion, in the axiomthemes Beautique WordPress theme. The flaw allows PHP Local File Inclusion and affects Beautique versions from n/a through 1.5. Published on 2025-12-18, it 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.
The vulnerability can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers over the network, though it requires high attack complexity and no user interaction. Successful exploitation enables high-impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability violations through local file inclusion in the affected PHP code.
Mitigation details are available in the Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/beautique/vulnerability/wordpress-beautique-theme-1-5-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability?_s_id=cve.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-204206
Vulnerability details
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in axiomthemes Beautique beautique allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Beautique: from n/a through <= 1.5.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
The vulnerability is an LFI in a public-facing WordPress theme, directly enabling exploitation of public-facing web applications via unauthenticated remote access.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Requires timely identification, reporting, and correction of the PHP file inclusion flaw in the Beautique WordPress theme, directly eliminating the vulnerability.
Mandates validation of user-supplied filenames prior to use in PHP include/require statements, preventing local file inclusion exploits.
Implements boundary protections such as web application firewalls to block network inputs containing path traversal or malicious filename payloads targeting the vulnerability.