CVE-2025-68886: androThemes Cookiteer PHP Local File Inclusion Vulnerability – CVSS 8.1

Technical summary

CVE-2025-68886 is a PHP Local File Inclusion vulnerability stemming from CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program). The androThemes Cookiteer plugin fails to properly sanitize or validate file path parameters passed to PHP include() or require() functions, enabling an attacker to traverse the file system and load arbitrary files. The CVSS 3.1 score of 8.1 (HIGH) reflects high confidentiality, integrity, and high availability impact with network accessibility but high attack complexity, indicating the exploit requires specific conditions or knowledge of target file locations but no authentication.

Business impact

Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive application data, configuration files containing credentials, or database connection strings. In scenarios where writable files or log injection is possible, attackers may achieve remote code execution, leading to full application compromise, lateral movement within the infrastructure, and potential data exfiltration. Organizations running Cookiteer should assume their sites are at elevated risk of reconnaissance and potential takeover.

Affected systems

androThemes Cookiteer version 1.4.8 and all prior versions are vulnerable. The plugin is typically deployed in WordPress or similar PHP-based CMS environments. Organizations should inventory all installations, including development, staging, and production environments, as the plugin may be disabled but still present on disk.

Exploitability

The vulnerability is network-exploitable without authentication, but requires high attack complexity (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H). This suggests the attacker must either know or guess valid file paths on the target system or leverage information disclosure to discover them. Exploitation difficulty is moderate rather than trivial, but the lack of any authentication barrier and the prevalence of predictable file structures in PHP applications (e.g., wp-config.php, .env files) means this should not be underestimated in real-world scenarios.

Remediation

Immediately update androThemes Cookiteer to a patched version beyond 1.4.8. If an update is unavailable, disable and remove the plugin from all environments. Apply input validation and sanitization to any file-path parameters; use allowlists of permitted files rather than blacklists. Additionally, harden file system permissions to prevent access to sensitive configuration files and implement web application firewalls to detect directory traversal patterns.

Patch guidance

Verify the latest version of Cookiteer against the vendor's official repository and security advisories. Apply patches in a staged manner: test in a non-production environment first, document the deployment, and monitor application logs for any anomalies post-update. If the vendor has not released a patch by your assessment date, contact androThemes directly and consider the removal option as an interim protective measure.

Detection guidance

Monitor web server and application logs for suspicious file path patterns in URL parameters or POST data (e.g., ../, ../../, absolute paths to /etc/passwd or /var/www/.env). Check for unexpected file includes from atypical directories. Implement file integrity monitoring on sensitive configuration files to detect unauthorized read access. Search plugin directories and active plugin lists to identify all Cookiteer installations and their versions.

Why prioritize this

Despite being rated HIGH (8.1) rather than CRITICAL, this vulnerability warrants urgent action because it affects a web-accessible plugin with no authentication requirement, provides a direct path to sensitive data disclosure, and in many hosting environments could facilitate code execution. The attack complexity moderately reduces priority but does not eliminate it—real-world exploitation is plausible and should be treated as imminent in vulnerability management workflows.

Risk score, explained

CVSS 3.1 score of 8.1 (HIGH) reflects: Attack Vector Network (user-facing web interface), high Confidentiality and Integrity impact (files can be read or potentially manipulated), high Availability impact (service disruption possible if critical files are compromised), no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. Attack Complexity is rated High, acknowledging that successful exploitation requires knowledge of or ability to discover valid file paths, preventing an automatic 'CRITICAL' rating. However, in practice, many file paths in PHP applications are predictable or discoverable through other reconnaissance.

Frequently asked questions