CVE-2026-28121
Local File Inclusion in AncoraThemes Anderson
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 |
|---|---|---|
| ancorathemes | anderson | to 1.4.2 (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-2026-28121 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability found in the WordPress Anderson Theme versions up to and including 1.4.2.
This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to include and display local files from the target website by exploiting improper control of filename parameters in PHP include/require statements.
As a result, attackers can potentially access sensitive information such as database credentials.
It is classified under the OWASP Top 10 category A3: Injection and has a high severity score of 8.1.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
[{'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Exploitation of this vulnerability can allow attackers to read sensitive local files on the server, potentially exposing critical information like database credentials.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': "Depending on the website's configuration, this could lead to a complete database takeover."}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Since the vulnerability can be exploited without authentication, it poses a high risk to affected websites.'}] [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 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 include local files via the Anderson Theme.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'While no specific commands are provided in the resources, detection typically involves inspecting web server logs for requests containing suspicious parameters that attempt to include local files, such as those with directory traversal patterns (e.g., ../) or attempts to access sensitive files.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Network or system administrators can use tools like grep on web server logs to search for such patterns, for example:'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'grep -r "..\\/" /var/log/apache2/access.log'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'grep -r "include" /var/log/apache2/access.log'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Additionally, web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules targeting Local File Inclusion attempts can help detect and block 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 involves implementing the Patchstack mitigation rule designed to block attacks exploiting this Local File Inclusion flaw.
Users are strongly advised to apply this mitigation rule immediately to protect their websites until an official patch is released, tested, and safely applied.
Additional general mitigation steps include restricting file inclusion functionality, validating and sanitizing user inputs, and monitoring web server logs for suspicious activity.