CVE-2025-58890
Published: 18 December 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-58890 is a high-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability in Ancorathemes Playful. 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-2025-58890 is an Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program vulnerability, classified as a PHP Remote File Inclusion issue that enables PHP Local File Inclusion. It affects the Playful WordPress theme developed by AncoraThemes, impacting all versions from n/a through 1.19.0. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (High), with vector AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, and is associated with CWE-98.
Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely over the network without requiring user interaction, though exploitation demands high attack complexity. Successful attacks grant high-impact access to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, potentially allowing attackers to include and execute local PHP files, leading to unauthorized file access or code execution on the target server.
Mitigation details are available in advisories such as the Patchstack database entry at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/playful/vulnerability/wordpress-playful-theme-1-19-0-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability?_s_id=cve. The vulnerability was published on 2025-12-18T08:15:58.167.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-204182
Vulnerability details
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in AncoraThemes Playful playful allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Playful: from n/a through <= 1.19.0.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
CVE-2025-58890 is an unauthenticated remote file inclusion vulnerability in a public-facing WordPress theme, directly enabling T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) for unauthorized file access and code execution.
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Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly requires identification, reporting, and timely remediation of the PHP Local File Inclusion flaw in the Playful WordPress theme to prevent exploitation.
Enforces validation of untrusted filename inputs to PHP include/require statements, blocking malicious local file paths that enable unauthorized access and code execution.
Establishes secure PHP configuration settings like open_basedir restrictions or disabling allow_url_include to limit the scope of local file inclusion attacks.