# CVE-2017-12938: Path traversal in n/a

> Attackers can bypass directory-traversal protections in UnRAR using symlinks, potentially accessing restricted directories.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Aug 2017
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2017-12938, GHSA-hc8j-qhm9-c5f4, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-12938

## What is CVE-2017-12938?

CVE-2017-12938 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 18 Aug 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

UnRAR before 5.5.7 allows remote attackers to bypass a directory-traversal protection mechanism via vectors involving a symlink to the . directory, a symlink to the .. directory, and a regular file.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-12938?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Rarlab Unrar.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-12938?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-12938 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-12938 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-12940](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12940/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-12941](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12941/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-12942](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12942/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2012-6706](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6706/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-20006](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-20006/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-12938 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-12938 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 18 Aug 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-12938 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12938/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12938/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-12938
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-12938
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-12938

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12938/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.