CVE-2026-28024
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 Helion helion allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects Helion: from n/a through <= 1.1.12.
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 confidenceA PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability exists in the Helion theme (axiomthemes) where improper control of filename parameters in include/require statements allows attackers to include arbitrary local PHP files. This can lead to sensitive file disclosure and potentially remote code execution if an attacker can control the included files.
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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify Helion theme installationSearch for axiomthemes/Helion theme files in the webroot. Common paths: wp-content/themes/helion/, themes/helion/, or search for 'Helion' and 'axiomthemes' strings in theme header files (style.css).Affected if The Helion theme by axiomthemes is installed on the system.
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Locate vulnerable include/require statementsSearch theme PHP files for dynamic include/require statements that use variable filenames without validation. Look for patterns like: include($_GET['...']), require($_POST['...']), include($var), require_once($file).Affected if The theme contains include/require statements using uncontrolled variables in the filename parameter.
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Check for path traversal vulnerabilitiesReview any file inclusion code for lack of sanitization. Look for functions that accept user input (GET/POST parameters) and pass them directly to include/require without basename(), realpath(), or whitelist validation.Affected if File inclusion parameters accept path traversal sequences (../) or allow arbitrary file paths without validation.
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Inspect access controls on vulnerable endpointsIdentify which PHP files handle the file inclusion and determine if they are accessible without authentication. Check .htaccess or access control configurations.Affected if The vulnerable file inclusion code is accessible to unauthenticated users.
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Check for indicators of exploitationReview web server access logs for suspicious patterns: requests with '../' sequences, requests to sensitive files (e.g., ../../wp-config.php, /etc/passwd), or unusual include/require parameter values.Affected if Logs show path traversal attempts or successful inclusion of sensitive local files.
You are affected if the Helion theme (axiomthemes) is installed and contains dynamic file inclusion code that uses uncontrolled variables without validation, making path traversal possible.
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 Helion theme (if available) and implement strict input validation/whitelisting on all file inclusion parameters to prevent path traversal attacks.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing4.0 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 $4,224.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-28024 — 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-2026-28024 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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