CVE-2025-48338
Kevon · Kevon Adonis WP Abstracts wp-abstracts-manuscripts-manager
A high-severity vulnerability has been identified in multiple Kevon Adonis WP products, specifically affecting the wp-abstracts-manuscripts-manager plugin.
Executive summary
A high-severity vulnerability has been identified in multiple Kevon Adonis WP products, specifically affecting the wp-abstracts-manuscripts-manager plugin. This flaw, a Local File Inclusion (LFI), could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to read sensitive files on the server, potentially exposing confidential data such as database credentials, system configurations, and user information. Organizations are urged to apply the vendor-supplied security updates immediately to mitigate the risk of a data breach.
Vulnerability
The vulnerability exists due to improper input validation on a parameter used in a PHP include or require statement. An attacker can manipulate this parameter to specify an arbitrary file path on the server's local filesystem. By crafting a malicious request containing directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../../), the attacker can trick the application into including and displaying the contents of sensitive files, such as wp-config.php, /etc/passwd, or other application source code, that are outside of the intended web root directory.
Business impact
This vulnerability is rated as High severity with a CVSS score of 7.5. Successful exploitation could lead to a significant data breach, as attackers can exfiltrate sensitive information directly from the server. The primary business risks include the compromise of database credentials leading to full database access, theft of intellectual property, exposure of customer or user data, and reputational damage. This initial foothold could also be leveraged by an attacker to discover other vulnerabilities and escalate their privileges on the host system.
Remediation
Immediate Action:
- Apply Patches: Immediately apply the security updates provided by the vendor (Kevon Adonis WP) to all affected systems. This is the most effective method to permanently resolve the vulnerability.
- Review Logs: Review web server access logs and application logs for any suspicious requests that may indicate past or ongoing exploitation attempts.
Proactive Monitoring:
- Monitor web server access logs for requests containing directory traversal patterns such as
../,..%2f, or absolute file paths in URL parameters. - Implement alerting for any requests that generate unexpected errors or display file contents in the server's response, which could indicate successful exploitation.
- Monitor for unusual outbound network traffic from the web server, which could be a sign of data exfiltration.
Compensating Controls:
- If immediate patching is not feasible, deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules specifically designed to detect and block Local File Inclusion and directory traversal attack patterns.
- Harden the server's file system permissions to ensure the web server's user account has read access only to the files and directories it explicitly needs to function.
- Disable dangerous PHP functions and ensure PHP configurations are hardened (e.g.,
open_basedir) to restrict the locations from which files can be included.
Exploitation status
Public Exploit Available: false
Analyst recommendation
Given the high severity (CVSS 7.5) and the critical nature of the data that can be exposed, this vulnerability presents a significant risk. Although there is no evidence of active exploitation at this time, organizations must not delay remediation. We strongly recommend that all available vendor patches for CVE-2025-48338 be applied immediately as a top priority to prevent potential data breaches and system compromise.