# CVE-2018-20250: WinRAR Absolute Path Traversal

> Attackers can exploit path traversal in WinRAR to extract files to arbitrary locations, potentially achieving code execution or privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 15 Feb 2022 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Feb 2019
- **Updated:** 13 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7v9q-j964-43qc

## What is CVE-2018-20250?

CVE-2018-20250 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. WinRAR, published on 5 Feb 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In WinRAR versions prior to and including 5.61, There is path traversal vulnerability when crafting the filename field of the ACE format (in UNACEV2.dll). When the filename field is manipulated with specific patterns, the destination (extraction) folder is ignored, thus treating the filename as an absolute path.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), CWE-36 (Absolute Path Traversal)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-20250?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Rarlab Winrar.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-20250?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-20250 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 15 Aug 2022.

## Is CVE-2018-20250 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-20250 in the wild since at least 15 Feb 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- exp for https://research.checkpoint.com/extracting-code-execution-from-winrar (github_poc): https://github.com/WyAtu/CVE-2018-20250
- 010 Editor template for ACE archive format & CVE-2018-2025[0-3] (github_poc): https://github.com/QAX-A-Team/CVE-2018-20250
- Proof of concept code in C# to exploit the WinRAR ACE file extraction path (CVE-2018-20250). (github_poc): https://github.com/easis/CVE-2018-20250-WinRAR-ACE
- CVE-2018-20250-WINRAR-ACE Exploit with a UI (github_poc): https://github.com/arkangel-dev/CVE-2018-20250-WINRAR-ACE-GUI
- https://github.com/STP5940/CVE-2018-20250 (github_poc): https://github.com/STP5940/CVE-2018-20250
- Python tool exploiting CVE-2018-20250 found by CheckPoint folks (github_poc): https://github.com/Ektoplasma/ezwinrar

## Other vulnerabilities in Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. WinRAR

- [CVE-2025-6218](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-6218/): RARLAB WinRAR Path Traversal (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-38831](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38831/): RARLAB WinRAR Code Execution (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2008-7144](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-7144/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-1254](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1254/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-3845](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-3845/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-20250 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-20250 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. WinRAR, published on 5 Feb 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-20250 in the wild since at least 15 Feb 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.

Affected product: Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. WinRAR. 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-2018-20250/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20250/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-20250
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-20250
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-20250

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20250/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.