Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2026-24531 affects the WordPress Prowess theme from Select-Themes, reported for versions up to 2.3. It may allow an authenticated attacker to include local PHP files through improper filename handling. The issue is rated high, but attack complexity is high and sources do not report active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat as a prioritized WordPress exposure issue for sites using Prowess <=2.3. Urgency is highest for internet-facing sites with multiple WordPress users. There is no cited evidence of active exploitation, but potential impact is broad if exploited.
Technical view
The CVE describes CWE-98 improper control of a filename in PHP include/require logic, resulting in local file inclusion in Prowess <=2.3. CVSS 3.1 is 7.5 with network access, low privileges, no user interaction, high attack complexity, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites with the Select-Themes Prowess theme installed at version 2.3 or earlier. The provided data does not confirm whether inactive installations are exploitable, so inventory both active and installed copies.
Exploitation context
The CVSS vector indicates exploitation requires low privileges and high attack complexity, with no user interaction. The CVE is not marked KEV, and the provided sources do not state active exploitation or public exploit availability.
Researcher notes
Source evidence is sparse. The CVE description calls this PHP Remote File Inclusion by CWE name but states Local File Inclusion as the outcome. No patch version, affected code path, proof of concept, or exploitation-in-the-wild evidence is provided in the bundle.
Mitigation direction
- Identify all WordPress sites using the Prowess theme.
- Check whether installed Prowess versions are 2.3 or earlier.
- Review Patchstack and vendor guidance for an official fix or workaround.
- If no fix is available, replace or disable the affected theme where feasible.
- Restrict WordPress accounts to least privilege pending remediation.
Validation and detection
- Confirm Prowess theme presence and version on each WordPress instance.
- Verify whether the theme is active or merely installed.
- Check security logs for unusual authenticated requests to theme PHP endpoints.
- Confirm remediation by documenting removal, replacement, or vendor-approved update.
- Monitor CVE, Patchstack, and WordPress security sources for updates.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-98: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-24531 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.65.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion')
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.