CVE-2026-28117
PHP Local File Inclusion Vulnerability in smartSEO Plugin
Publication date: 2026-03-05
Last updated on: 2026-03-05
Assigner: Patchstack
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
| Probability: | |
| Percentile: |
Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| axiomthemes | smart_seo | to 2.9 (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-2026-28117 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the WordPress smart SEO Theme versions up to and including 2.9. It arises from improper control of filenames used in PHP include or require statements, allowing an attacker to include local files from the target website.
This vulnerability enables an unauthenticated attacker to access and display the contents of local files on the server, potentially exposing sensitive information such as database credentials.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
[{'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to serious security impacts including exposure of sensitive data like database credentials.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': "Depending on the website's configuration, an attacker could leverage this flaw to achieve a complete database takeover."}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'The vulnerability has a high severity score of 8.1, indicating a significant risk to affected systems.'}] [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': 'The CVE-2026-28117 vulnerability is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) issue affecting the WordPress smart SEO Theme up to version 2.9. Detection typically involves monitoring for suspicious HTTP requests attempting to include local files via the vulnerable PHP include/require statements.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Common detection methods include analyzing web server logs for requests containing patterns like directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../) or attempts to access sensitive files such as /etc/passwd or configuration files.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'While no specific commands are provided in the resources, typical commands to detect such activity might include:'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'Using grep to search web server logs for suspicious patterns: grep -iE "(\\.{2}/|etc/passwd|config\\.php)" /var/log/apache2/access.log'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'Using network monitoring tools to detect unusual HTTP requests targeting the smart SEO theme endpoints.'}] [1]
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Since no official patch is currently available for CVE-2026-28117, immediate mitigation involves applying the Patchstack mitigation rule designed to block attacks exploiting this Local File Inclusion vulnerability.
Users are strongly advised to implement this mitigation as soon as possible to protect their websites from potential exploitation.
Additionally, monitoring and restricting access to the vulnerable theme and limiting file inclusion capabilities in PHP configurations can help reduce risk.