CVE-2026-28118
Local File Inclusion in Welldone PHP Theme Allows Code Execution
Publication date: 2026-03-05
Last updated on: 2026-03-05
Assigner: Patchstack
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| axiomthemes | welldone | to 2.4 (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-2026-28118 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability found in the WordPress Welldone Theme versions up to and including 2.4. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to manipulate the PHP include or require statements improperly, enabling them to include and display local files from the target website.
Because of this flaw, attackers can access sensitive files on the server, such as those containing database credentials, which could lead to further compromise of the website.
This vulnerability is categorized under the OWASP Top 10 category A3: Injection, specifically as a Local File Inclusion issue.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
[{'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Exploitation of this vulnerability can allow attackers to read sensitive files on your web server without authentication.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'This could expose critical information such as database credentials, configuration files, or other sensitive data.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': "Depending on the website's configuration, this exposure could lead to a complete database takeover, resulting in data loss, unauthorized data modification, or further system compromise."}] [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 vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to include and display local files from the target website, which can be detected by monitoring for suspicious HTTP requests attempting to exploit Local File Inclusion (LFI) patterns.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Detection can involve checking web server logs for requests containing suspicious parameters that try to include local files, such as those with directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../) or attempts to include sensitive files like /etc/passwd or configuration files.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'While no specific commands are provided in the resources, common approaches include using tools like grep to search web server logs for suspicious patterns, for example:'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': "grep -i 'include' /var/log/apache2/access.log"}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': "grep -E '\\.\\./|etc/passwd|config' /var/log/apache2/access.log"}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Additionally, web application firewalls (WAFs) or intrusion detection systems (IDS) can be configured to detect and alert on such LFI attack patterns.'}] [1]
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Since no official patch is available for this vulnerability as of the publication date, immediate mitigation involves applying the Patchstack mitigation rule designed to block attacks targeting this Local File Inclusion vulnerability.
Users are strongly advised to implement Patchstack’s mitigation measures promptly to safeguard their websites from exploitation.
Other general mitigation steps include restricting file inclusion functions in PHP configurations, disabling allow_url_include, and limiting file permissions to reduce the impact of potential exploitation.