CVE-2023-38831
RARLAB WinRAR Code Execution Vulnerability
This vulnerability is in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog: attackers are using it. If you run WinRAR, fix it now.
CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
US federal civilian agencies must remediate by Sep 14, 2023.
Patch status
No official fix confirmed yet
Until a fix ships, follow the vendor's mitigations and CISA's required action, limit exposure of affected systems, and watch this record for a patch.
Description
RARLAB WinRAR before 6.23 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code when a user attempts to view a benign file within a ZIP archive. The issue occurs because a ZIP archive may include a benign file (such as an ordinary .JPG file) and also a folder that has the same name as the benign file, and the contents of the folder (which may include executable content) are processed during an attempt to access only the benign file. This was exploited in the wild in April through October 2023.
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database. Official vulnerability data, reproduced as published.
Affected products
| Product | Vendor | Affected versions | Fixed in | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WinRAR | RARLAB | < 6.23 | 6.23 | KEV |
Sources: KEV = CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Intelligence timeline
Developments from the last 30 days, newest first.
- CVSS scoredUpdateKEV
CVE-2023-38831 scored CVSS 7.8: RARLAB WinRAR, RARLAB WinRAR Code Execution Vulnerability
CISA lists this as exploited in the wild and known to be used in ransomware campaigns. Unpatched WinRAR systems are exposed to active attacks now.
Basis: NIST National Vulnerability Database
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Coverage
We have not published a story about this vulnerability yet.