high CVSS 7.5 EPSS 2.3%

CVE-2024-50436·PHP vulnerability

Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in themehorse Clean Retina clean-retina.This issue affects Clean Retina: from n/a through <= 3.0.6.

Severity
high
Software
PHP
Fixed in
3.0.7
Published

How likely is exploitation

FIRST's Exploit Prediction Scoring System puts the probability of this CVE being exploited in the next 30 days at 2.3% — higher than 85% of all published CVEs. EPSS is an independent forecast of exploitation, not a severity rating: it says nothing about how much damage a successful attack does, which is what a CVSS score measures.

Affected versions

Until: 3.0.7

Fixed in: 3.0.7

How to fix this CVE

Update the Clean Retina WordPress theme to version 3.0.7 or later to patch the local file inclusion vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files through improper input validation on include/require statements. If you are running PHP with this vulnerable theme, prioritize this update to prevent unauthorized file access and potential code execution.

sudo dnf upgrade php

Defensia detects this vulnerability

What an exploitation attempt looks like

Sample log line indicative of exploitation attempts:

GET|POST request patterns containing path traversal sequences like '../../' or file:// URIs targeting the vulnerable theme's include/require parameters, or access attempts to wp-content/themes/clean-retina with suspicious query parameters attempting to read etc/passwd or other system files

WAF mitigation (if patching is not yet possible)

Add this rule to your WAF to block exploitation attempts while you schedule the patch. 

Implement WAF rules to block requests containing path traversal patterns (../, .\, or file://) in query parameters and POST bodies targeting WordPress theme directories; additionally, restrict access to wp-content/themes/clean-retina to known legitimate requests only

How to check if you are affected

  1. Check the installed PHP version: php -v
  2. For WordPress installations, verify the Clean Retina theme version by checking the style.css file in wp-content/themes/clean-retina/ for the 'Version:' field
  3. Search access logs for suspicious file inclusion attempts: grep -i 'include\|require\|\.\.' /var/log/apache2/access.log | grep -i clean-retina
  4. Confirm the patch by re-checking the theme version after update to ensure it is 3.0.7 or higher

FAQ

What is CVE-2024-50436?

This vulnerability is a local file inclusion flaw in the Clean Retina WordPress theme versions up to 3.0.6 that fails to properly validate user-supplied input in PHP include/require statements, potentially allowing attackers to read sensitive files from the server.

Is CVE-2024-50436 being actively exploited?

No, this vulnerability is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and no public exploits have been released, though the attack vector is straightforward and exploitation is feasible.

What versions of PHP are affected by CVE-2024-50436?

The vulnerability affects Clean Retina theme versions through 3.0.6; it is not a PHP core vulnerability but a flaw in the theme's use of PHP functions, so all PHP versions running the vulnerable theme are affected.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2024-50436?

Navigate to your WordPress installation directory and run: cat wp-content/themes/clean-retina/style.css | grep 'Version:' to check the theme version; if it shows 3.0.6 or earlier, your system is vulnerable.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-50436?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If PHP is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2024-50436 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

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References

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