Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-60059

High

Published: 18 December 2025

Published
18 December 2025
Modified
20 January 2026
KEV Added
—
Patch
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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 0.0042 32.9th percentile
Risk Priority 16 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2025-60059 is a high-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability in Axiomthemes Smartseo. 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-2025-60059 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 (LFI), affecting the smartSEO WordPress theme from axiomthemes. This flaw impacts smartSEO versions from n/a through 2.12 inclusive, mapped to CWE-98.

The vulnerability 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), indicating exploitation is possible remotely over the network by unauthenticated attackers without user interaction, though it demands high attack complexity. Attackers can achieve high impacts across confidentiality, integrity, and availability, potentially allowing arbitrary local file reads or inclusion leading to further compromise depending on server configuration.

Patchstack's advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/smartSEO/vulnerability/wordpress-smart-seo-theme-2-12-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability?_s_id=cve details the Local File Inclusion vulnerability in the WordPress smart-seo theme up to version 2.12, serving as the primary reference for mitigation steps and patch information.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in axiomthemes smart SEO smartSEO allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects smart SEO: from n/a through <= 2.12.

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?

LFI vulnerability in public-facing WordPress theme enables remote exploitation of a public-facing web 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
smartseo
≤ 2.12

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SI-2 Flaw Remediation good match
prevent

Directly mitigates CVE-2025-60059 by requiring timely patching or updating of the vulnerable smartSEO WordPress theme versions through 2.12 as advised by Patchstack.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match
prevent

Prevents exploitation of the PHP Local File Inclusion vulnerability by enforcing validation of filenames supplied to include/require statements in the smartSEO theme.

CM-6 Configuration Settings partial match
prevent

Mitigates impact of the LFI vulnerability through secure PHP configuration settings like open_basedir restrictions and disabling dangerous functions such as allow_url_include.

References