Overview
CVE-2025-49297 is a significant cybersecurity vulnerability that affects the popular Mikado-Themes Grill and Chow. This vulnerability is a path traversal flaw that allows PHP Local File Inclusion. This means that a potential attacker could manipulate the software to access sensitive files and data outside of the intended directory path, leading to potential system compromise or data leakage. As the Grill and Chow themes are commonly used by many websites, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to a wide range of web applications.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-49297
Severity: High (8.1)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
Escape the Surveillance Era
Most apps won’t tell you the truth.
They’re part of the problem.
Phone numbers. Emails. Profiles. Logs.
It’s all fuel for surveillance.
Ameeba Chat gives you a way out.
- • No phone number
- • No email
- • No personal info
- • Anonymous aliases
- • End-to-end encrypted
Chat without a trace.
Product | Affected Versions
Mikado-Themes Grill | n/a through 1.6
Mikado-Themes Chow | n/a through 1.6
How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of a path traversal vulnerability in the Grill and Chow themes. By manipulating the file path inputs, an attacker can trick the system into accessing files outside of the intended directory. This can lead to the inclusion of arbitrary local PHP files, which an attacker can use to execute malicious code, gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or even compromise the system.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. Note that this is a simplified example and the actual exploit may involve more complex manipulations.
GET /vulnerable/path?file=../../../etc/passwd HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.comIn this example, the attacker is attempting to access the ‘/etc/passwd’ file, which is located several directories above the intended path. If successful, this could allow the attacker access to sensitive system information.
Recommended Mitigation Strategies
Affected users are advised to apply the vendor patch as soon as possible to rectify the vulnerability. If a patch is not immediately available, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation by monitoring and blocking potential path traversal attacks. Regularly updating your software and implementing robust security measures will significantly reduce the risk of a successful exploit.