CVE DATABASE / CVE-2023-38831
CVE-2023-38831
RARLAB WinRAR Code Execution Vulnerability
Confirmed exploited in the wild. Added 2023-08-24.
Federal remediation due 2023-09-14.
Required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Summary
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.
CVSS 3.1 breakdown
| Base score | 7.8 (HIGH) |
| Vector | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| Attack vector | LOCAL |
| Attack complexity | LOW |
| Privileges required | NONE |
| User interaction | REQUIRED |
| Scope | UNCHANGED |
| Confidentiality | HIGH |
| Integrity | HIGH |
| Availability | HIGH |
Weakness type (CWE)
Affected products
Use our free CVE Lookup tool for the latest NVD record, or browse the full CISA KEV catalog.
Our coverage
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174573/WinRAR-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- https://blog.google/threat-analysis-group/government-backed-actors-exploiting-winrar-vulnerability/
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37236100
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/winrar-zero-day-exploited-since-april-to-hack-trading-accounts/
- https://www.group-ib.com/blog/cve-2023-38831-winrar-zero-day/
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-38831
Data: NIST NVD + CISA KEV. NVD last modified 2025-10-31. Always verify against the vendor advisory before acting.