CVE-2025-30849 in Essential Real Estate Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/01/2025
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in g5theme Essential Real Estate allows PHP Local File Inclusion. This issue affects Essential Real Estate: from n/a through 5.2.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/28/2025
The CVE-2025-30849 vulnerability represents a critical PHP Remote File Inclusion flaw within the g5theme Essential Real Estate plugin, classified under CWE-98 as improper control of filename for include/require statements. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied parameters that are directly used in PHP include or require statements. The flaw exists in the plugin's handling of file paths, where external input is not properly filtered or validated before being processed by PHP's include mechanism, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The vulnerability affects all versions of the Essential Real Estate plugin from the initial release through version 5.2.0, indicating a long-standing issue that has not been adequately addressed in the plugin's codebase.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker can manipulate input parameters that are subsequently used in PHP include functions such as include(), require(), include_once(), or require_once(). When user-controllable data flows directly into these functions without proper sanitization, it enables attackers to specify arbitrary file paths or URLs that will be included and executed by the PHP interpreter. In the context of the g5theme Essential Real Estate plugin, this typically manifests through parameters that control which template files, configuration files, or other PHP components should be loaded. Attackers can leverage this by injecting malicious file paths or URLs that point to remote servers hosting malicious PHP code, effectively achieving remote code execution on the target server. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications and T1059 for executing code through PHP-based attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-30849 is severe and multifaceted, potentially allowing full system compromise and persistent access to affected environments. Successful exploitation enables attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code with the privileges of the web server process, which typically runs with elevated permissions on the hosting environment. This can lead to complete server takeover, data exfiltration, installation of backdoors, and deployment of malware across the affected infrastructure. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions suggests that it has not been properly addressed in the plugin's development lifecycle, creating ongoing risk for users who have not updated to patched versions. Organizations running the affected plugin versions face potential exposure to automated scanning tools that actively seek out known vulnerabilities, making their systems prime targets for exploitation. The impact extends beyond immediate compromise to include potential regulatory compliance violations, data breach consequences, and reputational damage from successful attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-30849 should prioritize immediate remediation through official plugin updates from g5theme, as this vulnerability requires code-level fixes to properly sanitize input parameters before they are used in include statements. Organizations should implement strict input validation and sanitization measures that prevent user-controllable data from being passed directly to PHP include functions, employing whitelisting approaches where possible or implementing proper escaping mechanisms. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth, though these should not replace proper code-level fixes. System administrators should monitor for suspicious file inclusion patterns and implement proper access controls to limit the privileges of web server processes. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other plugins and themes. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining updated software ecosystems and implementing automated patch management processes to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities. Organizations should consider implementing runtime protection mechanisms that can detect and block suspicious include operations, providing an additional layer of security while waiting for official patches to be deployed.