Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-28081

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 0.0042 33.1th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2026-28081 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 33.1th 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 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).

Deeper analysis

CVE-2026-28081 is an Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement vulnerability in PHP programs, classified as a PHP Remote File Inclusion issue that enables PHP Local File Inclusion (CWE-98). It affects the ThemeREX Windsor WordPress theme, with all versions from n/a through 2.5.0 vulnerable. The vulnerability was published on 2026-03-05 and 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).

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely by unauthenticated attackers (PR:N) over the network (AV:N) without requiring user interaction (UI:N), though it demands high attack complexity (AC:H). Successful exploitation allows attackers to achieve high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H), potentially enabling arbitrary local file reads and further compromise depending on server configuration.

Patchstack's advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Theme/windsor/vulnerability/wordpress-windsor-theme-2-5-0-local-file-inclusion-vulnerability?_s_id=cve documents the Local File Inclusion vulnerability specifically in Windsor theme version 2.5.0 and provides details for mitigation in WordPress environments.

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 ThemeREX Windsor windsor allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Windsor: from n/a through <= 2.5.0.

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 vulnerability (T1190). LFI directly facilitates arbitrary reads from local system files (T1005).

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

Mandates timely identification, reporting, and correction of the PHP Local File Inclusion flaw in the Windsor theme versions through 2.5.0.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match
prevent

Requires validation of user-supplied filenames prior to their use in PHP include/require statements to block arbitrary local file inclusion.

CM-6 Configuration Settings partial match
prevent

Enforces secure baseline PHP configuration settings like disabling allow_url_include and open_basedir restrictions to limit file inclusion capabilities.

References