प्लगइन का नाम	FundEngine
Type of Vulnerability	Local File Inclusion
CVE Number	CVE-2025-48302
तात्कालिकता	उच्च
CVE Publish Date	2025-08-08
Source URL	CVE-2025-48302

Urgent: FundEngine (≤ 1.7.4) Local File Inclusion (LFI) — What WordPress Site Owners Must Do Now

Release summary

A critical Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the FundEngine WordPress plugin (versions ≤ 1.7.4) was publicly disclosed and assigned CVE-2025-48302. The issue allows a low-privileged user (Subscriber role) to cause the plugin to include arbitrary local files from the web server and render their contents. If exploited, LFI can lead to exposure of sensitive files (including wp-config.php), credential leakage, and potentially full database or site takeover depending on server configuration.

This post is written from the perspective of the WP-Firewall security team to help site owners, developers and administrators understand the risk, recognize exploitation attempts, and perform immediate and long-term remediation. I’ll explain the vulnerability, show example attack patterns, provide WAF rule suggestions and server hardening steps, and supply actionable incident response and recovery guidance.

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Table of contents

• What is LFI and why it matters
• CVE details (affected versions, severity)
• How FundEngine’s LFI can be exploited (technical breakdown)
• Example exploit request(s)
• Immediate actions (quick checklist)
• Recommended WAF rules and virtual patch examples
• Secure coding fixes plugin authors should apply
• Detection: what to look for in logs and filesystem
• Incident response: if you suspect compromise
• Long-term hardening and best practices
• WP-Firewall free plan — protect your site today
• Final notes

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What is Local File Inclusion (LFI) and why it matters

Local File Inclusion (LFI) is a vulnerability class where an application takes user input and uses it to build a file path used by an include/require function (or similar), without proper validation or sanitization. Instead of limiting to safe files inside a controlled directory, the application can be tricked into reading arbitrary files on the server. A successful LFI can reveal sensitive configuration files (for example wp-कॉन्फ़िगरेशन.php or other files containing credentials), source code, logs, or even allow chain attacks that lead to remote code execution.

Why this is particularly dangerous for WordPress sites:

• WordPress sites commonly store DB credentials and salts in php files (wp-कॉन्फ़िगरेशन.php). Exposing these can allow database access or privilege escalation.
• Shared hosting environments often have multiple websites on the same server; an LFI can give attackers information useful for lateral movement.
• Attack automation: once an LFI is public, attackers typically automate scans and exploit attempts rapidly.

Because this FundEngine LFI can be triggered by a Subscriber-level account, it is high-risk for multi-user sites (membership, donation, or community sites) where low-privilege accounts are easy to register.

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CVE and affected versions

• Affected software: FundEngine WordPress plugin
• Vulnerable versions: ≤ 1.7.4
• Fixed in: 1.7.5
• CVE: CVE-2025-48302
• Reported privilege: Subscriber (low privilege)
• Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High)

If your site uses FundEngine and the plugin is version 1.7.4 or older, treat this as critical and take immediate action.

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How the FundEngine LFI can be exploited (technical breakdown)

At a high level, the vulnerable plugin includes a PHP file based on a user-supplied parameter without correctly restricting the allowed path. This class of bug typically looks like:

• The plugin receives a request parameter (e.g., page, load, file) and appends it to an include/require statement.
• The user-controlled input is not normalized, sanitized, nor restricted to an allowlist.
• An attacker supplies directory traversal sequences (../) or encoded equivalents to escape the intended plugin folder and reference arbitrary local files.
• The server includes the file and echoes its output — if PHP files are included, the PHP content may not execute but can be exposed in some server configurations; more often the contents of text-based sensitive files (config files, logs) are revealed. In misconfigured setups where remote file inclusion is possible, this can lead to remote code execution.

Because the attacker can be a Subscriber, the exploit requires just a low-privilege account (which is trivial to obtain on many sites).

Common weaknesses seen in LFI:

• का उपयोग करते हुए include($_GET['page']) या include(ABSPATH . '/path/' . $_GET['file']) without normalization or realpath checks.
• Failing to block null byte injection, different encodings (%2e%2e%2f) or PHP wrappers (php://filter).
• Not limiting includes to a safe directory or using an allowlist of acceptable identifiers.

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Example exploit request(s)

Below are illustrative examples of the kind of HTTP requests an attacker might send. These are for defensive and detection purposes only.

Example 1 — directory traversal attempt (simple):

GET /?fundpage=../../../../wp-config.php HTTP/1.1
Host: victim.example
User-Agent: curl/7.88.1
Accept: */*

Example 2 — URL-encoded traversal:

GET /?fundpage=%2e%2e%2f%2e%2e%2f%2e%2e%2fwp-config.php HTTP/1.1
Host: victim.example

Example 3 — php://filter to reveal PHP source:

GET /?fundpage=php://filter/read=convert.base64-encode/resource=../../../../wp-config.php HTTP/1.1
Host: victim.example

If the plugin does not sanitize input and directly includes the path, these payloads may cause the site to display wp-कॉन्फ़िगरेशन.php contents (or its base64-encoded representation), or other files such as .env, error_log, or custom files.

Note: attackers will often try variations with null bytes, different encodings, or try to include theme/plugin PHP files to expose credentials or craft a more advanced RCE chain.

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Immediate actions — quick checklist (for site owners)

If you host WordPress sites with FundEngine installed, follow these steps right now:

1. Upgrade the plugin
   • Update FundEngine to version 1.7.5 or later immediately. This is the only guaranteed fix.
2. If you cannot update immediately:
   • Temporarily deactivate the FundEngine plugin.
   • Or place a WAF rule that blocks the vulnerable endpoint or suspicious include-like parameters (see rules below).
3. Inspect logs for signs of exploitation:
   • Search web server access logs for patterns like “..”, “%2e%2e”, “php://filter”, or requests hitting the plugin endpoints from unknown IPs.
4. Scan for compromise:
   • Run a full malware scan and integrity check of WordPress core, theme and plugin files.
   • Look for new admin users, modified files, and suspicious PHP files.
5. If you find evidence of exposure of wp-config.php or other secrets:
   • Rotate database credentials immediately and update wp-config.php with new credentials.
   • Rotate any API keys, SMTP credentials or other secrets that may have been exposed.
6. Backup current state:
   • Make a forensic backup (files + DB) and isolate it for later analysis.
7. Harden server PHP settings:
   • Disable allow_url_include (php.ini).
   • Restrict open_basedir to WordPress directories if feasible.

Upgrading is top priority. If you can’t immediately upgrade, apply a virtual patch via your WAF and reduce the attack surface.

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Recommended WAF rules and virtual patch examples

Below are sample WAF (web application firewall) rules you can use as a temporary virtual patch until you upgrade to 1.7.5. Use them in your host or plugin WAF (this is vendor-agnostic guidance). Test rules on a staging environment prior to production when possible.

1) Block suspicious path-traversal in parameters:

SecRule ARGS_NAMES|ARGS "@rx (?:\bfile\b|\bpage\b|\bpath\b|\bview\b|\bfundpage\b)" "phase:2,deny,log,status:403,id:100001,msg:'Block possible LFI attempts - traversal in include param',t:none,t:lowercase,chain"
  SecRule ARGS "@rx (\.\./|\%2e\%2e|\.\.\\x2f|php://|/etc/passwd|wp-config\.php)" "t:none,log"

2) Block attempts using php://filter to read source:

SecRule ARGS|REQUEST_URI "@contains php://filter" "phase:2,deny,log,status:403,id:100002,msg:'Block php://filter attempts'"

3) Prevent base64-encoded reveals:

SecRule REQUEST_URI|ARGS "@rx (base64_encode|convert.base64-encode)" "phase:2,deny,log,status:403,id:100003,msg:'Block base64 encode file read attempts'"

4) Block traversal patterns in encoded forms:

SecRule ARGS "@rx (%2e%2e%2f|%c0%ae%c0%ae|%252e%252e%252f)" "phase:2,deny,log,status:403,id:100004,msg:'Block URL-encoded traversal sequences'"

5) Deny requests to plugin include endpoints from untrusted users:

• If the vulnerable parameter is known (for example fundpage या file), restrict access to logged-in administrators only via WAF cookie verification or block anonymous & subscriber requests to that endpoint.

6) Block attempts to include sensitive files:

SecRule ARGS|REQUEST_URI "@rx (wp-config\.php|\.env|/etc/passwd|/proc/self/environ|config\.inc\.php)" "phase:2,deny,log,status:403,id:100005,msg:'Block access to sensitive files'"

7) Rate-limit suspicious endpoints:

• Implement rate limits on the plugin endpoints to slow down automated exploitation attempts and help reduce the impact while you patch.

Important considerations:

• Tailor rules to the exact parameter name and plugin endpoint used by FundEngine. Generic rules can block false positives; whitelisting legitimate traffic sources or paths reduces disruption.
• Monitor logs after enabling rules to ensure no unintended breaks.
• A WAF provides immediate mitigation but is not a substitute for updating the vulnerable plugin.

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Secure coding fixes plugin developers should apply

If you are a plugin developer or responsible for custom code, the correct fix is to remove any direct inclusion of user-controlled paths and adopt these secure practices:

1. Use an allowlist (preferably an associative array) of permitted templates/partials identified by short keys, not direct filenames:

   <?php
   $allowed_views = [
     'summary' => plugin_dir_path(__FILE__) . 'views/summary.php',
     'donation' => plugin_dir_path(__FILE__) . 'views/donation.php',
     // more mapping...
   ];
   
   $requested = isset($_GET['view']) ? sanitize_key($_GET['view']) : 'summary';
   
   if ( isset($allowed_views[$requested]) && file_exists($allowed_views[$requested]) ) {
       include $allowed_views[$requested];
   } else {
       // safe fallback
       include $allowed_views['summary'];
   }
   ?>
   

2. If you must accept file identifiers, map those identifiers server-side to known safe files — do not use direct concatenation.
3. Never include raw user input in file paths. Use canonicalization and compare realpaths:

   <?php
   $base = realpath(plugin_dir_path(__FILE__));
   $userfile = realpath($base . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $candidate);
   
   if ($userfile === false || strpos($userfile, $base) !== 0) {
       // invalid path
       wp_die('Invalid request', 403);
   }
   include $userfile;
   ?>
   

4. Reject wrappers and filters:
   • Block php://, data:, zip://, phar:// and similar wrappers in input.
   • Strip null bytes and handle encodings.
5. Validate user capabilities:
   • If a file must be included via request, require a capability check (for example current_user_can('manage_options')) or nonce check.
6. Use WordPress functions:
   • sanitize_key(), esc_एट्रिब्यूट(), wp_सत्यापन_nonce(), वर्तमान_उपयोगकर्ता_कर सकते हैं(), and WP filesystem APIs to reduce risk.
7. Logging and auditing:
   • Add logging to suspicious include attempts for later investigation, without exposing sensitive contents in logs.

These measures convert an unsafe pattern into an explicitly controlled design.

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Detection: what to look for in logs and filesystem

Search your web server access/error logs and WordPress logs for the following:

Request patterns

• Requests containing ..%2f, ..%2e, %2e%2e%2f, php://filter, convert.base64-encode, wp-कॉन्फ़िगरेशन.php, .env, /etc/passwd.
• Unexpected GET/POST parameters named file, page, view, खाका, fundpage, load.
• Requests with long encoded payloads or repeated traversal attempts.

Server behaviors

• 200 OK responses to suspicious requests that should otherwise return 403.
• Requests returning large responses of PHP source or configuration data.
• Repeated requests from a single IP or distributed scanning from many IPs.

Filesystem indicators

• New PHP files in wp-content/uploads or plugin directories.
• Modified core or plugin files (check timestamps).
• Unexpected files with suspicious names (e.g., phpinfo.php, wp-admin/includes/backup.php, शैल.php).

WordPress indicators

• New admin users you didn’t create.
• Unknown scheduled tasks (cron events).
• Excessive outbound emails or spikes in traffic to unusual endpoints.

If you detect any of these, assume possible exposure and follow incident response below.

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Incident response: if you suspect compromise

1. Isolate
   • Temporarily take the site offline (maintenance mode) or block traffic to the affected endpoint.
   • Remove public access while you investigate.
2. Forensic capture
   • Create a full backup of files and database for investigation (store off-site or offline).
   • Preserve logs from web server, PHP, and any WAF.
3. Identify scope
   • Determine which files were accessed via LFI and whether any credentials were revealed or used.
   • Look for indicators of post-exploitation activity: webshells, scheduled tasks, cron jobs, new admin accounts, outbound connections.
4. Credentials rotation
   • If wp-कॉन्फ़िगरेशन.php or any secrets were exposed, rotate DB credentials immediately and update wp-कॉन्फ़िगरेशन.php.
   • Rotate any API keys or tokens that may have been stored on the site.
5. Clean and restore
   • Remove malicious files and revert modified core/plugin/theme files to known-good versions.
   • If extensive or unclear, restore from a pre-compromise backup (verified clean).
6. Rebuild (if necessary)
   • In severe cases, rebuild the site environment: rebuild server from clean image and restore content from clean backup.
7. Post-incident monitoring
   • Increase logging and monitoring for several weeks to detect any residual access.
   • Consider a professional incident response service if you lack in-house experience.
8. Disclosure and transparency
   • Notify affected users if their data or accounts may have been exposed. Follow regulatory obligations for data breaches.

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Long-term hardening and best practices

Beyond patching this specific vulnerability, implement these controls to reduce future risk:

1. Keep WordPress, plugins and themes up to date — prioritize security updates.
2. Reduce the number of active plugins; uninstall plugins you don’t use.
3. Enforce least privilege:
   • Limit registrations or require moderation for new users.
   • Only give users the roles/capabilities they need; avoid granting subscribers extra capabilities.
4. Harden PHP and server configuration:
   • Disable allow_url_include.
   • Use open_basedir restrictions.
   • Keep PHP and OS packages patched.
5. Prevent file editing:
   • Set define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true) में wp-कॉन्फ़िगरेशन.php.
6. Use role-based access to sensitive plugin endpoints (capability checks & nonces).
7. Regular backups:
   • Keep off-site backups with retention.
8. File integrity monitoring:
   • Use checksum comparisons to detect unexpected changes.
9. Application-level WAF:
   • Deploy WAF rules and maintain a regular review of blocked traffic to reduce false positives.
10. Security audits:
    • Periodic code reviews for custom plugins and themes; use automated SAST tools and manual audits for critical components.
11. Monitoring and alerting:
    • Configure alerts for suspicious requests, high error rate, or unexpected admin events.
12. Educate admin users:
    • Train site administrators on safe plugin installation, updates, and recognizing phishing or social engineering.

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Example ModSecurity + nginx configuration snippet (defensive)

Below is an example of an nginx location block with a simple check to deny requests with suspicious traversal or php:// patterns to query strings. This is a lightweight stop-gap; tune for your environment.

nginx config example:

server {
    ...
    location / {
        if ($query_string ~* "(?:\.\./|%2e%2e%2f|php://|convert.base64-encode|wp-config\.php)") {
            return 403;
        }
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
    }
}

Remember: this is a quick mitigation. Proper WAF rules and plugin update remain indispensable.

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WP-Firewall recommended configuration for this vulnerability

If you use WP-Firewall (our managed WAF for WordPress), we recommend:

• Enable automatic ruleset updates so your site receives virtual patching coverage for newly disclosed vulnerabilities.
• Ensure that the WAF blocks directory traversal payloads, php:// filters and base64 filter attempts.
• Turn on rate-limiting and blocking for suspicious plugin endpoints and signatures specific to FundEngine.
• Enable detailed logging for the plugin endpoints so you can identify attempted exploitation.
• If you operate a multi-tenant or membership site where subscriber accounts exist, set stricter access controls and consider requiring email confirmation and manual approval for new accounts.

If you want to try our free protection tier to immediately gain a managed firewall, WAF and malware scanning (and to apply protective rules while you update), see the section below.

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What to communicate to stakeholders and users

If your site has community members, donors or users, do the following:

• Be transparent if any personal data may have been exposed. Provide an accurate summary of what happened and what steps you’ve taken.
• Encourage users to change passwords if there’s any chance of credential exposure.
• If financial or donation information may have been affected, notify your payment processor and follow required breach notification rules.
• Provide an expected timeline for resolution and keep communications factual and non-alarming.

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Final notes and recommended timeline

1. Immediate (next 1–2 hours)
   • Update FundEngine to 1.7.5. If you cannot, deactivate the plugin or apply a WAF rule that blocks risky parameters.
   • Search logs for php://, wp-कॉन्फ़िगरेशन.php, ..%2f and similar payloads.
2. Short-term (within 24–72 hours)
   • Rotate DB and API credentials if you found evidence of exposure.
   • Conduct a malware and integrity scan across the site.
   • Deploy additional hardening (DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT, disable allow_url_include, open_basedir).
3. Medium-term (1–4 weeks)
   • Audit other plugins for insecure file inclusion patterns.
   • Implement role and registration controls for subscribers.
   • Consider a full security audit or managed service if multiple sites or high-value assets are involved.

LFI vulnerabilities attract rapid automated exploitation. Updating the plugin is the fastest way to protect your site. When that’s not immediately possible, a WAF virtual patch and the mitigations above will reduce the risk.

If you need help configuring rules, testing mitigations, or performing an incident response, our team is available to assist.

Stay safe — patch fast, monitor continuously, and restrict the attack surface wherever possible.