The Kubio AI Page Builder plugin for WordPress is an intuitive plugin allowing users to design and customize their website using a drag-and-drop interface. Recently, a critical vulnerability (CVE-2025-2294) has been discovered in all versions up to and including 2.5.1. This vulnerability concerns a Local File Inclusion (LFI) issue that, if successfully exploited, can cause significant damage and compromise the security of the affected server. In this post, we will discuss the technical details of this vulnerability, how an attacker could exploit it, and provide useful links to resources and references.

Code Snippet

The vulnerability is related to a PHP function called thekubio_hybrid_theme_load_template located in the main plugin file:

function thekubio_hybrid_theme_load_template($template) {
    if (file_exists(STYLESHEETPATH . $template)) {
        $return_template = STYLESHEETPATH . $template;
    } else {
        $return_template = TEMPLATEPATH . $template;
    }

    include($return_template);
}

This function simply loads a template file specified in $template variable. The problem with this implementation is that it does not validate the $template variable before loading the file leading to the LFI vulnerability.

Exploit Details

An attacker can take advantage of this vulnerability by including and executing arbitrary PHP files on the server. This can be accomplished through simple HTTP GET requests, as shown in the following example:

http://example.com/?theme-page=../../../../../../../../../../etc/passwd

In this example, an attacker tries to include the /etc/passwd file, which is commonly found on UNIX-based systems holding information about user accounts. If the attack is successful, this would allow the attacker to obtain sensitive data and potentially execute arbitrary PHP code on the server.

This LFI vulnerability can prove to be particularly dangerous since it bypasses access controls and enables the attacker to manipulate and control the affected server. In cases where it is possible to upload images or other "safe" file types, an attackers could also use this vulnerability to achieve remote code execution (RCE) by uploading a malicious file and then including it using the vulnerable function.

Mitigation

To protect your WordPress installation from this LFI vulnerability, it is important to update your Kubio AI Page Builder plugin to version 2.5.2 or newer as soon as possible. This updated version includes a fix that properly validates the $template variable, mitigating the LFI vulnerability.

Original References

1. CVE Details - CVE-2025-2294
2. NVD - CVE-2025-2294
3. WordPress Plugin Vulnerability Database - Kubio AI Page Builder

Conclusion

The CVE-2025-2294 vulnerability in the Kubio AI Page Builder plugin for WordPress demonstrates the importance of validating untrusted inputs and keeping software up-to-date. Furthermore, this case emphasizes the importance of continuous security monitoring and auditing. If you currently use the Kubio AI Page Builder plugin, it is essential to update your plugin to the latest version immediately and ensure that your WordPress installation is secure from this LFI vulnerability.

Timeline

Published on: 03/28/2025 05:15:41 UTC
Last modified on: 03/28/2025 18:11:40 UTC