CVE-2025-30891

Remediation/Mitigation Strategy: CVE-2025-30891 - PHP Local File Inclusion in WpTravelly

This document outlines the remediation and mitigation strategy for CVE-2025-30891, a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the WpTravelly WordPress plugin.

1. Vulnerability Description:

  • Vulnerability: PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI)
  • Component: magepeopleteam WpTravelly WordPress plugin
  • Affected Versions: Versions up to and including 1.8.7
  • Description: The WpTravelly plugin is vulnerable to a PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability due to improper control of filenames used in include/require statements within the PHP code. This allows an attacker to potentially include arbitrary files from the server’s file system, leading to sensitive information disclosure or even remote code execution if combined with other vulnerabilities. The vulnerability exists because the plugin fails to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied input used to construct file paths.

2. Severity:

  • CVSS Score: 8.8 (High)
  • CVSS Vector: (Based on supplied data) CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (Inferred from provided values: AV:N (Network), AC:L (Low), PR:L (Low Privilege), UI:N (None), S:U (Unchanged), C:H (High Confidentiality), I:H (High Integrity), A:H (High Availability))
  • Severity Level: High

3. Known Exploit & Impact:

  • Exploitability: Exploitable with low technical skill. An attacker could potentially craft a malicious URL or POST request containing a manipulated filename to include arbitrary local files.
  • Impact:
    • Sensitive Information Disclosure: An attacker could read sensitive files on the server, such as configuration files (e.g., wp-config.php containing database credentials), system files, and other WordPress files.
    • Remote Code Execution (RCE): In some cases, an attacker might be able to achieve Remote Code Execution (RCE). This could involve including log files containing attacker-controlled data, or using techniques like php://filter/convert.base64-encode/resource=<sensitive_file> to read the contents and inject malicious code via log poisoning if logging configuration permits.
    • Website Defacement: Access to core files could lead to the ability to deface the website.
    • Denial of Service: An attacker might be able to include files that consume excessive resources, leading to a denial of service.

4. Remediation Strategy:

  • Immediate Action (Highest Priority):

    • Update the WpTravelly plugin: Immediately update the WpTravelly plugin to the latest version. Check the plugin developer’s website (magepeopleteam) or the WordPress plugin repository for an updated version that addresses CVE-2025-30891. This is the most effective solution.
    • If an update is unavailable: Disable the WpTravelly plugin temporarily. Disabling the plugin will prevent the vulnerability from being exploited until a patch is available.

  • Long-Term Actions:

    • Monitor for Updates: Regularly monitor the WpTravelly plugin’s changelog and update promptly when security patches are released.
    • Security Auditing: Conduct a thorough security audit of the WpTravelly plugin’s code, or engage a security professional to perform an audit, to identify and address any other potential vulnerabilities. Pay particular attention to areas where user-supplied input is used to construct file paths or execute commands.
    • Input Validation and Sanitization: Implement robust input validation and sanitization measures for all user-supplied input used by the plugin. Use whitelisting to only allow expected characters and patterns, and sanitize any potentially malicious characters or sequences.
    • Principle of Least Privilege: Ensure that the web server and PHP processes are running with the minimum necessary privileges. This can help to limit the impact of a successful exploit.
    • Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) and configure it with rules to detect and block LFI attacks. The WAF should be updated regularly with the latest security signatures.
    • File Access Controls: Implement strict file access controls to restrict access to sensitive files on the server. Ensure that only authorized users and processes can access these files. This can prevent attackers from being able to read sensitive data even if they are able to include files.
    • Logging and Monitoring: Implement comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect any suspicious activity, such as attempts to access unauthorized files. Set up alerts to notify administrators of potential attacks.
    • Review .htaccess Configuration: Review and harden the .htaccess file to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive files and directories.

5. Mitigation Strategy (if immediate patching isn’t possible):

  • Web Application Firewall (WAF) Rules: Configure a WAF to block suspicious requests that attempt to exploit the LFI vulnerability. Specifically, look for patterns in URLs and POST requests that contain directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../, ../../, ..\\, ..\\\\) or attempts to access sensitive files (e.g., /etc/passwd, wp-config.php).
  • Disable PHP error reporting in production: PHP error messages can sometimes reveal sensitive information about the server’s file system, which could be useful to an attacker. Disable error reporting in the php.ini file or in the WordPress configuration file.
  • Restrict file access for the PHP process: Use appropriate file access controls to limit the files that the PHP process can access. This can help to prevent an attacker from being able to read sensitive files even if they are able to include them.
  • Monitor logs for suspicious activity: Carefully monitor server logs for any suspicious activity, such as attempts to access unauthorized files or directories.

6. Communication:

  • Communicate the vulnerability and the remediation plan to all relevant stakeholders, including website administrators, developers, and security personnel.
  • Provide clear instructions on how to update or disable the plugin.

7. Verification:

  • After implementing the remediation steps, verify that the vulnerability has been successfully addressed. This can be done by manually testing the plugin for LFI vulnerabilities, or by using a vulnerability scanner.

Disclaimer: This remediation strategy is based on the information provided and the general understanding of LFI vulnerabilities. The specific steps required may vary depending on the specific environment and configuration of the WpTravelly plugin and WordPress installation. It is always recommended to consult with a security professional for specific guidance.

Assigner

Date

  • Published Date: 2025-03-27 11:15:50
  • Updated Date: 2025-03-27 16:45:12

More Details

CVE-2025-30891