CVE-2025-6218
RARLAB WinRAR Path Traversal Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 30 December 2025). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
RARLAB WinRAR Directory Traversal Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of RARLAB WinRAR. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the handling of file paths within archive files. A crafted file path can cause the process to traverse to unintended directories. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current user. Was ZDI-CAN-27198.
- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 90.54% probability · 100th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Listed 9 December 2025 · due 30 December 2025
- Weakness
- CWE-22
- Affected
- rarlab/winrar
- Source
- zdi-disclosures@trendmicro.com
CISA notes
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. https://www.win-rar.com/singlenewsview.html?&L=0&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=276&cHash=b5165454d983fc9717bc8748901a64f9 ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-6218
References
- https://www.win-rar.com/singlenewsview.html?&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=276&cHash=388885bd3908a40726f535c026f94eb6Release Notes
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-25-409/Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://foresiet.com/blog/apt-c-08-winrar-directory-traversal-exploit/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-6218US Government Resource
- https://www.secpod.com/blog/archive-terror-dissecting-the-winrar-cve-2025-6218-exploit-apt-c-08s-stealth-move/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.