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HighCISA KEVExploited in the wildPublic exploit

RARLAB WinRAR Directory Traversal Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

IdentifiersCVE-2025-6218CWE-22· Improper Limitation of a Pathname…

CVE-2025-6218 is a WinRAR for Windows directory traversal vulnerability in the handling of file paths inside archive files. A crafted archive can specify relative paths such as "..\" so that, during extraction, files are written outside the intended destination directory into attacker-chosen locations. The provided content states the flaw affects WinRAR versions up to and including 7.11 and was patched in WinRAR 7.12 in June 2025. Because the attacker can place extracted files into sensitive locations such as autostart-related directories or other execution paths, successful exploitation can result in arbitrary code execution in the security context of the current user. The issue was previously tracked as ZDI-CAN-27198.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to escape the intended extraction directory and place files in arbitrary directories on the victim system. This can be used to achieve arbitrary code execution as the current user, establish persistence by dropping files into startup-related locations, and deploy follow-on malware. The supporting content associates exploitation with phishing and malicious archive delivery by multiple threat actors, including campaigns leading to trojan deployment, espionage tooling, and in some reporting destructive payloads.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

If immediate patching is not possible, reduce exposure by avoiding opening or extracting untrusted RAR archives, especially those received via phishing or downloaded from the web; restrict use of WinRAR on systems handling untrusted content; monitor for suspicious extraction into unexpected directories such as Startup, Temp, or application template paths; and apply email/web filtering to block malicious archive delivery. User awareness is relevant because exploitation requires the target to open a malicious file or otherwise interact with attacker-controlled content.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Upgrade WinRAR to a fixed version. The content states CVE-2025-6218 was patched in WinRAR 7.12, and that WinRAR 7.13 or later is recommended to address both CVE-2025-6218 and the later WinRAR flaw CVE-2025-8088. Because WinRAR does not auto-update, users should manually download and install the latest version from RARLAB. Replace vulnerable installations, including older 7.11 and earlier builds, on affected Windows systems.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

4 valid exploits after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos (4 hidden).

VALID 4 / 8 TOTALView more in app
CVE-2025-6218-POCMaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository provides a proof-of-concept exploit for a directory traversal vulnerability in RARLAB WinRAR (CVE-2025-6218 / ZDI-CAN-27198). The exploit consists of a Python script ('zip_payload_generator.py') that generates a malicious ZIP archive. The script takes a user-supplied payload file (such as a batch script) and embeds it in the ZIP with multiple directory traversal sequences, targeting the Windows Startup folder ('AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup'). When a victim extracts the ZIP using a vulnerable version of WinRAR, the payload is placed in the Startup folder and will execute on the next user login, resulting in remote code execution. The script also allows inclusion of a decoy file to make the archive appear legitimate. The repository is structured with a README.md explaining the vulnerability and usage, and the Python script implementing the exploit logic. No network endpoints are involved; the attack is local but requires user interaction to extract the ZIP file.

mulwareXDisclosed Jul 3, 2025pythonlocal (user-assisted via malicious ZIP file)
CVE-2025-6218-POCMaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository provides a proof-of-concept (POC) exploit for CVE-2025-6218, a vulnerability in WinRAR (versions 7.11 and earlier) related to improper handling of archive extraction paths. The main file, 'CVE-2025-6218.bat', is a batch script that creates a simple batch payload ('POC.bat') to launch calc.exe, then uses WinRAR to craft a ZIP archive that, when extracted using WinRAR's 'Extract to {folder}\' option, places the payload in the Windows Startup folder. This results in the payload executing automatically on the next user login, demonstrating arbitrary code execution. The exploit requires WinRAR to be installed in its default location and is only effective on vulnerable versions. The repository includes a README with detailed usage instructions and a LICENSE file. No network endpoints are involved; the attack vector is local, relying on user interaction with the crafted ZIP file.

skimask1690Disclosed Jul 1, 2025batchlocal
CVE-2025-6218MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository provides a proof-of-concept (POC) exploit for CVE-2025-6218, a directory traversal vulnerability in RARLAB WinRAR (up to version 7.11) that can lead to remote code execution (RCE) via arbitrary file write. The main exploit script, 'cve-2025-6218.py', uses a custom RAR archive creation library (implemented in the other Python modules) to generate a malicious RAR file ('test.rar'). This archive contains a file with a specially crafted path ('/.. /.. /test.txt') that, when extracted by a vulnerable WinRAR installation, will be written outside the intended extraction directory. The repository is structured as a modular RAR file manipulation toolkit, with separate modules for block and extra area handling, file attributes, and utility functions. The exploit demonstrates the vulnerability but does not include a full RCE chain; it focuses on arbitrary file write via path traversal. No network endpoints are involved; exploitation requires user interaction to extract the archive.

ignis-secDisclosed Jun 29, 2025pythonlocal
CVE-2025-6218_WinRARMaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository demonstrates a proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2025-6218, a path traversal vulnerability in WinRAR versions 7.11 and earlier on Windows. The exploit consists of a malicious RAR archive ('archivo_exploit.rar') containing a file entry with a path that escapes the extraction directory (using '..\..\Users\victima\Desktop\importante.txt'). When extracted with a vulnerable version of WinRAR, this results in the overwriting of the specified file outside the extraction directory with attacker-controlled content ('MALWARE INYECTADO'). The repository includes a batch script ('crear_rar_malicioso.bat') to generate such a malicious archive, a sample target file ('importante.txt'), and a detailed README.md explaining the vulnerability, setup, and demonstration steps. The exploit is local in nature, requiring the victim to extract the malicious archive. No network endpoints are involved. The repository is structured for educational purposes and provides a clear demonstration of the risk posed by path traversal vulnerabilities in archive extraction utilities.

speinadorDisclosed Jun 27, 2025batchlocal
EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

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VendorProductType
WinRARWinrarapplication

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What this page doesn’t show

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Exposure mapping

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Threat actor evidence10

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware4

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures2

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Vendor-by-vendor mapping

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Social activity100

Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.