Overview
CVE-2025-4524 is a critical vulnerability residing in Madara – a responsive and modern WordPress theme for manga sites. This flaw poses a significant threat to all WordPress websites using versions up to, and including, 2.2.2 of the Madara theme. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit the ‘template’ parameter, enabling them to include and execute arbitrary files on the server. This can potentially lead to system compromise and data leakage, emphasizing the need for a swift and effective response.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-4524
Severity: Critical 9.8 (CVSS 3.0)
Attack Vector: Local File Inclusion
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Madara – WordPress Theme | Up to and including 2.2.2
How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the Madara WordPress theme. Specifically, by manipulating the ‘template’ parameter, an unauthenticated attacker can include and execute arbitrary server-side files. As a result, any PHP code in those files will be executed, potentially bypassing access controls, revealing sensitive data, or running malicious code. This becomes particularly dangerous if the server allows uploading of images or other ostensibly ‘safe’ file types that can be used to disguise PHP code.
Conceptual Example Code
Here’s a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited using a malicious HTTP request:
GET /wp-content/themes/madara/template.php?template=../../../../uploads/malicious.php HTTP/1.1
Host: vulnerablewebsite.comIn this example, the attacker requests the template.php file but manipulates the ‘template’ parameter to point to a malicious PHP file they’ve uploaded to the server.
Mitigation Guidance
To remediate this vulnerability, apply the vendor patch as soon as it is available. In the meantime, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can offer temporary mitigation. Ensure that these systems are configured to block or alert on attempts to manipulate the ‘template’ parameter in requests to your server.