Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-22446

High

Published: 05 March 2026

Published
05 March 2026
Modified
22 April 2026
KEV Added
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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 0.0050 39.1th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2026-22446 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 39.1th 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 RA-5 (Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation).

Deeper analysis

CVE-2026-22446 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 (LFI), in the Prowess WordPress theme developed by Select-Themes. This issue affects Prowess versions from n/a through 1.8.1. Published on 2026-03-05, it 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) and maps to CWE-98.

Unauthenticated remote attackers with network access can exploit the vulnerability without requiring user interaction, though it demands high attack complexity. Exploitation grants high-impact access to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, allowing attackers to include and potentially execute arbitrary local files on the server.

The Patchstack advisory documents this local file inclusion vulnerability in the WordPress Prowess theme up to version 1.8.1 and provides details on mitigation, which centers on updating to a patched version of the theme.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A05:2025 Injection

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in Select-Themes Prowess prowess allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Prowess: from n/a through <= 1.8.1.

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 →
T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
attack.mitre.org →
Why these techniques?

Unauthenticated remote exploitation of a public-facing WordPress theme via improper filename control in PHP include (T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application), enabling inclusion and execution of local files for data collection from the local system (T1005: Data from Local System).

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

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-60057Shared CWE-98
CVE-2025-58940Shared CWE-98
CVE-2026-22476Shared CWE-98
CVE-2025-67980Shared CWE-98
CVE-2025-69034Shared CWE-98
CVE-2025-58225Shared CWE-98
CVE-2026-22427Shared CWE-98
CVE-2025-69402Shared CWE-98
CVE-2025-64205Shared CWE-98
CVE-2026-28013Shared CWE-98

Affected Assets

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SI-2 Flaw Remediation good match
prevent

Requires timely identification, reporting, and correction of software flaws such as the PHP LFI vulnerability in Prowess theme versions through 1.8.1 via patches or updates.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match
prevent

Mandates validation of user-controlled inputs to PHP include/require statements, directly preventing arbitrary local file inclusion by rejecting invalid filenames.

RA-5 Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning good match
detect

Requires ongoing vulnerability scanning and monitoring to identify flaws like CVE-2026-22446 in installed WordPress themes, enabling proactive remediation.

References