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PHP File Inclusion (RFI/LFI)Weakness · CWE-98

CVE-2025-52815

HIGH · 8.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-06-27
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
90/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in AncoraThemes CityGov citygov allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects CityGov: from n/a through <= 1.9.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the CityGov WordPress theme by AncoraThemes allows attackers to include arbitrary files from the server due to improper control of filename parameters in PHP include/require statements. This can lead to exposure of sensitive server files, potential code execution, and further system compromise.

MitigationUpdate CityGov theme to the latest patched version. If no patch available, implement strict input validation on file inclusion parameters, use whitelist validation for allowed files, and ensure all user-supplied paths are sanitized to prevent path traversal attacks.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify if CityGov theme is installed
    Navigate to wp-content/themes/ directory and check for a folder named 'citygov' or 'CityGov'. Alternatively, in WordPress admin, go to Appearance > Themes to list installed themes.
    Affected if The CityGov theme by AncoraThemes is present in the WordPress installation.
  2. Determine the installed CityGov theme version
    Check the style.css file inside the CityGov theme folder for the 'Version:' header, or look for a version.php file in the theme directory. The version is typically defined in the theme's main stylesheet metadata.
    Affected if The installed version cannot be verified against a patched version, or the version is older than the latest patched release.
  3. Identify vulnerable file inclusion endpoints
    Search the theme's PHP files (particularly in the root theme folder and any includes/ folders) for patterns like 'include(', 'require(', 'include_once(', 'require_once(' where user-supplied parameters (such as 'file', 'path', 'template', 'slug', or similar) are used directly in the include/require statement without sanitization.
    Affected if PHP files in the theme contain include/require statements that use raw user input without validation or sanitization.
  4. Verify if file parameter is accessible via HTTP request
    Test common parameter names ('file', 'path', 'template', 'page', 'slug') on theme PHP files (e.g., index.php, single.php, or custom template files) using GET or POST requests to see if arbitrary file paths can be passed.
    Affected if The vulnerable parameters are directly accessible via HTTP and accept path input without validation.
  5. Check for path traversal protection
    Review the theme's PHP code to see if uploaded or included filenames are validated against directory traversal patterns (such as '../', '..\', or absolute paths starting with '/'). Look for functions like basename(), realpath(), or whitelist checks before file inclusion.
    Affected if No path traversal protection is implemented, or the validation can be easily bypassed.
  6. Look for indicators of compromise
    Review server access logs (Apache/Nginx) for suspicious requests containing '../' patterns, '/etc/passwd', or other sensitive file paths targeting the CityGov theme. Also check for new or modified PHP files in the theme directory.
    Affected if Logs show requests with path traversal attempts to CityGov theme files, or unfamiliar PHP files exist in the theme folder.

A user is affected if the CityGov theme by AncoraThemes is installed, the version is unverified or older than the patched release, and vulnerable file inclusion parameters are accessible without proper path validation.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update CityGov theme to the latest patched version. If no patch available, implement strict input validation on file inclusion parameters, use whitelist validation for allowed files, and ensure all user-supplied paths are sanitized to prevent path traversal attacks.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,490
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-52815 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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