CritiqueWordPress extension · Axiomthemes
CVE-2025-58923
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 · uneditedImproper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in axiomthemes Critique critique allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Critique: from n/a through <= 1.17.
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 confidencePHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the Critique WordPress theme allows attackers to include arbitrary local PHP files via unsanitized input in include/require statements. This can lead to remote code execution if the attacker can upload files or access existing sensitive files on the server.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
CritiqueWordPress extension
<= 1.17CVSS 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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed Critique theme versionLocate the theme's style.css file in wp-content/themes/critique/ and find the 'Version:' header in the CSS comment block at the top. Alternatively, check version in theme functions.php.Affected if Version is 1.17 or lower (e.g., 1.16, 1.15, 1.0, etc.)
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Check for vulnerable file inclusion codeSearch the theme's PHP files (particularly in include/ or template directories) for include/require statements that use unsanitized variables like $_GET, $_POST, or $_REQUEST as the file path. Look for patterns such as 'include($_REQUEST["..."]' or 'require($var)' without sanitization functions.Affected if Unsanitized include/require calls using user-supplied input are found in the theme code
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Verify PHP allow_url_include settingCheck php.ini for the 'allow_url_include' directive, or create a PHP info page (<?php phpinfo(); ?>) and search for this setting.Affected if allow_url_include is set to On (enabled)
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Assess exposure of file inclusion parametersIf the vulnerable code uses GET parameters, review web server logs or access logs for suspicious requests with file path parameters. Manually test by attempting to include a known safe local file (e.g., /etc/passwd on Linux) using the suspected parameter.Affected if File inclusion parameters are directly accessible via URL without authentication
You are affected if the Critique theme version is 1.17 or lower and the vulnerable unsanitized include/require code exists in your installation, particularly if the file inclusion parameters are externally accessible.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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 dataUpgrade to a patched version of the Critique theme when available; implement strict allowlist-based input validation on all file inclusion parameters and disable allow_url_include in php.ini.
Fix this in Critique
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,088.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2025-58923 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-58923 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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