CVE-2025-68536
Published: 20 February 2026
Summary
CVE-2025-68536 is a high-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability. 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 39.6th 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-2025-68536 is an Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program vulnerability, classified as PHP Remote File Inclusion but enabling PHP Local File Inclusion (CWE-98), in the thembay Zota WordPress theme. This issue affects Zota versions from n/a through 1.3.14. The vulnerability was published on 2026-02-20 with 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 high severity due to its potential for significant impact.
Remote attackers with network access can exploit this vulnerability despite requiring high attack complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction. Successful exploitation allows high-impact compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, potentially enabling attackers to include and execute arbitrary local PHP files on the server.
Patchstack provides details on the vulnerability and mitigation in its advisory for the WordPress Zota theme version 1.3.14 at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/zota/vulnerability/wordpress-zota-theme-1-3-14-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability-2?_s_id=cve.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-208082
Vulnerability details
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in thembay Zota zota allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Zota: from n/a through <= 1.3.14.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Unauthenticated remote exploitation of public-facing WordPress theme (T1190) enables LFI for reading sensitive local files (T1005) including those with credentials like wp-config.php (T1552.001).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly remediates the improper filename control flaw in the Zota theme's PHP include/require statements by identifying, reporting, and correcting the vulnerability.
Validates user-supplied inputs used in PHP include/require statements to prevent attackers from specifying arbitrary local file paths for inclusion and execution.
Enforces secure PHP configuration settings, such as open_basedir restrictions, to limit the scope of local file access and mitigate LFI exploitation in the vulnerable theme.