CVE-2025-2505Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated PHP file inclusion via REST traversal

Published Mar 20, 2025 · Updated Apr 8, 2026

Path traversal in the Age Gate plugin for WordPress 3.5.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to include local PHP files through the REST API. The unauthenticated age-gate/v3/check route passes the age_gate[lang] value into PHP file-selection logic without blocking traversal sequences. A reachable WordPress site with the plugin active is sufficient to read local PHP files; code execution additionally requires an attacker-controlled PHP file already on the server.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability4.80%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Path traversal in the Age Gate plugin for WordPress 3.5.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to include local PHP files through the REST API. The unauthenticated age-gate/v3/check route passes the age_gate[lang] value into PHP file-selection logic without blocking traversal sequences. A reachable WordPress site with the plugin active is sufficient to read local PHP files; code execution additionally requires an attacker-controlled PHP file already on the server.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-2505
Published
Mar 20, 2025
Updated
Apr 8, 2026
Vendor
Phil Baker
Product
Age Gate
Classifications
CWE-22, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 20, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 8, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
  3. Aug 8, 2026Exploitation reportedPrevidian sensor-observed exploitation attempts

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=3.5.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Phil Baker · Age Gateversion=0 <=3.5.3

Published CVSS scores

9.8WordfenceCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo