Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-58923

High

Published: 18 December 2025

Published
18 December 2025
Modified
20 January 2026
KEV Added
—
Patch
—
CVSS Score v3.1 8.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0044 35.2th percentile
Risk Priority 16 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2025-58923 is a high-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability in Axiomthemes Critique. 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-2025-58923 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, affecting the Critique WordPress theme developed by axiomthemes. This flaw impacts all versions of the theme from n/a through 1.17 inclusive.

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network by unauthenticated attackers with no privileges required and no user interaction needed, though it demands high attack complexity. Successful exploitation grants high impacts across confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as reflected in its CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), potentially allowing attackers to include and execute local files on the server.

The Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/critique/vulnerability/wordpress-critique-theme-1-17-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability?_s_id=cve documents this Local File Inclusion vulnerability in the Critique WordPress theme version 1.17.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in axiomthemes Critique critique allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Critique: from n/a through <= 1.17.

CWE(s)
CWE-98

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
Why these techniques?

CVE-2025-58923 is a remote file inclusion vulnerability in a public-facing WordPress theme, enabling unauthenticated remote exploitation for local file inclusion and execution, directly mapping to T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application.

Confidence: HIGH · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-58935Same vendor: Axiomthemes
CVE-2025-60061Same vendor: Axiomthemes
CVE-2025-60063Same vendor: Axiomthemes
CVE-2025-58889Same vendor: Axiomthemes
CVE-2025-53449Same vendor: Axiomthemes
CVE-2025-58950Same vendor: Axiomthemes
CVE-2025-53446Same vendor: Axiomthemes
CVE-2025-60064Same vendor: Axiomthemes
CVE-2025-53445Same vendor: Axiomthemes
CVE-2025-58928Same vendor: Axiomthemes

Affected Assets

axiomthemes
critique
≤ 1.17

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SI-2 Flaw Remediation good match
prevent

Directly mitigates the LFI vulnerability by identifying, patching, or updating the vulnerable Critique WordPress theme versions through <=1.17.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match
prevent

Enforces validation of user-supplied filenames in PHP include/require statements to block malicious path traversal payloads enabling local file inclusion.

SI-9 Information Input Restrictions good match
prevent

Restricts filenames accepted for PHP include/require to a whitelist of safe, predefined local files, preventing inclusion of arbitrary server files.

References