Cyber Posture

CVE-2026-22516

HighUpdated

Published: 25 March 2026

Published
25 March 2026
Modified
24 April 2026
KEV Added
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Patch
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CVSS Score 8.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0016 37.0th percentile
Risk Priority 16 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2026-22516 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 37.0th 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).

Threat & Defense at a Glance

What attackers do: exploitation maps to Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190) and 1 other technique. What defenders deploy: see the NIST 800-53 controls recommended below.
Threat & Defense Details

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI

SI-2 Flaw Remediation good match
prevent

Requires timely remediation of the known PHP Local File Inclusion flaw in the wizors-investments WordPress theme, directly preventing exploitation of CVE-2026-22516.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match
prevent

Mandates validation of filenames used in PHP include/require statements to block improper file inclusion attacks as in this CVE.

RA-5 Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning partial match
prevent

Supports proactive discovery of PHP file inclusion vulnerabilities like CVE-2026-22516 in WordPress themes through ongoing monitoring and scanning.

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?

The vulnerability is a public-facing WordPress theme LFI (T1190) enabling remote unauthenticated reading of sensitive local files (T1005).

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

NVD Description

Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in AncoraThemes Wizor's wizors-investments allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Wizor's: from n/a through <= 2.12.

Deeper analysisAI

CVE-2026-22516 is an Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program vulnerability, classified as PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98), in the Wizor's (wizors-investments) WordPress theme developed by AncoraThemes. The flaw allows PHP Local File Inclusion and affects all versions up to and including 2.12.

The vulnerability can be exploited by unauthenticated remote attackers (PR:N) over the network (AV:N) with high attack complexity (AC:H) and no user interaction (UI:N). Successful exploitation enables high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H), with an overall CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (S:U), potentially allowing arbitrary file inclusion leading to code execution or data exposure.

Mitigation details are available in the Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/wizors-investments/vulnerability/wordpress-wizor-s-theme-2-12-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability?_s_id=cve.

Details

CWE(s)
CWE-98

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References