AEGLIX vulnerability intelligence
CVE-2023-38831
HIGH · CVSS 7.8 · Analyzed
Published: 2023-08-23 · Updated: 2026-08-05 · Source: NVD
Vulnerability overview
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.
Severity and scoring
- CVSS score
- 7.8 · HIGH
- CVSS version
- 3.1
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Weaknesses
- CWE-345, CWE-351
CVSS measures technical severity; it does not establish whether this vulnerability is being exploited in your environment.
Known exploitation and remediation
Listed in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
- Affected product
- RARLAB · WinRAR
- Added to catalog
- 2023-08-24
- Required action
- Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- CISA remediation due date
- 2023-09-14
CISA deadlines apply to the organizations covered by its directives. Confirm your own remediation requirements.
Verify affected versions and patch availability in the vendor advisory before making changes.
Affected products and versions
cpe:2.3:a:rarlab:winrar:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Before (exclusive): 6.23
These are NVD CPE applicability entries. Some products depend on configuration conditions; consult the official record to confirm applicability.
Advisories and references
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174573/WinRAR-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://blog.google/threat-analysis-group/government-backed-actors-exploiting-winrar-vulnerability/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37236100
Issue Tracking
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/winrar-zero-day-exploited-since-april-to-hack-trading-accounts/
Exploit · Press/Media Coverage · Third Party Advisory
- https://www.group-ib.com/blog/cve-2023-38831-winrar-zero-day/
Exploit · Press/Media Coverage · Third Party Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174573/WinRAR-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://blog.google/threat-analysis-group/government-backed-actors-exploiting-winrar-vulnerability/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37236100
Issue Tracking
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/winrar-zero-day-exploited-since-april-to-hack-trading-accounts/
Exploit · Press/Media Coverage · Third Party Advisory
- https://www.group-ib.com/blog/cve-2023-38831-winrar-zero-day/
Exploit · Press/Media Coverage · Third Party Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-38831
US Government Resource