CVE-2025-53449
Published: 18 December 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-53449 is a high-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability in Axiomthemes Convex. 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-2025-53449 is an Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program vulnerability, classified as a PHP Local File Inclusion issue (CWE-98), affecting the Convex WordPress theme developed by axiomthemes. This flaw impacts Convex theme versions from n/a through 1.11 inclusive, as published on 2025-12-18.
Unauthenticated attackers (PR:N) can exploit the vulnerability remotely over the network (AV:N), though it requires high attack complexity (AC:H) and no user interaction (UI:N). Successful exploitation enables high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H), with an overall CVSS 3.1 score of 8.1 in a context of unchanged scope (S:U).
Mitigation details are available in the Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/convex/vulnerability/wordpress-convex-theme-1-11-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability?_s_id=cve.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-204203
Vulnerability details
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in axiomthemes Convex convex allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Convex: from n/a through <= 1.11.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
CVE-2025-53449 is a Local File Inclusion vulnerability in a public-facing WordPress theme, exploitable remotely by unauthenticated attackers, directly enabling T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application.
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Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly requires identification, reporting, and correction of the PHP Local File Inclusion flaw in the Convex WordPress theme via timely patching.
Mandates validation of user-supplied filenames and paths in PHP include/require statements to block malicious local file inclusion attempts.
Enforces secure configuration settings in PHP, such as open_basedir restrictions, to limit file access and mitigate exploitation of improper filename controls.