CVE-2026-27992
Local File Inclusion in ThemeREX Meals & Wheels
Publication date: 2026-03-05
Last updated on: 2026-03-06
Assigner: Patchstack
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| themerex | meals_wheels | From 1.0.0 (inc) to 1.1.12 (inc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-98 | The PHP application receives input from an upstream component, but it does not restrict or incorrectly restricts the input before its usage in "require," "include," or similar functions. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2026-27992 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the WordPress Meals & Wheels Theme versions up to and including 1.1.12. It allows an unauthenticated attacker to include and display local files from the target website by exploiting improper control of filename for include/require statements in PHP.
This vulnerability is classified under OWASP Top 10 A3: Injection and can lead to exposure of sensitive files such as those containing database credentials.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
[{'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to exposure of sensitive files on the affected website, including files with database credentials.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': "This exposure could potentially enable a complete database takeover depending on the site's configuration, posing a serious security risk."}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Because the vulnerability has a high CVSS severity score of 8.1, it represents a highly dangerous threat that is expected to be exploited in the wild.'}] [1]
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
I don't know
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
[{'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'This Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability allows an attacker to include local files via the vulnerable WordPress Meals & Wheels Theme. Detection typically involves monitoring for suspicious HTTP requests attempting to exploit the include/require statement.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'You can detect potential exploitation attempts by searching your web server logs for requests containing suspicious parameters that try to include local files, such as those with directory traversal patterns (e.g., ../) or attempts to access sensitive files like /etc/passwd or configuration files.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Example commands to detect such attempts in Apache or Nginx access logs might include:'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'grep -iE "(\\.{2}/|etc/passwd|config|\\.php)" /var/log/apache2/access.log'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'grep -i "include" /var/log/nginx/access.log'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Additionally, using web application firewalls (WAF) or intrusion detection systems (IDS) with rules targeting LFI patterns can help detect exploitation attempts.'}] [1]
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Since no official patch is currently available for this vulnerability, immediate mitigation is critical to protect affected sites.
Patchstack has issued a mitigation rule that can be applied to block attacks exploiting this Local File Inclusion vulnerability in the Meals & Wheels theme.
Recommended immediate steps include:
- Apply the Patchstack mitigation rule to your web application firewall or security system to block known attack patterns.
- Monitor your web server logs for suspicious activity and block offending IP addresses if necessary.
- Restrict file permissions on your server to limit access to sensitive files.
- Consider disabling or removing the vulnerable Meals & Wheels theme until an official patch is released.