# CVE-2024-20697: Windows libarchive Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> An attacker can execute arbitrary code on Windows systems by exploiting a heap-based buffer overflow in the libarchive component.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Jan 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Jun 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w6xv-37jv-7cjr

## What is CVE-2024-20697?

CVE-2024-20697 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 22h2, published on 9 Jan 2024. 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

Windows libarchive Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Weakness: CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-20697?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 11 22h2, Microsoft Windows 11 23h2, Microsoft Windows Server 2022 23h2.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-20697?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-20697 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-20697 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 11 22h2

- [CVE-2024-49117](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49117/): Windows Hyper-V Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-21435](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21435/): Windows OLE Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-24084](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24084/): Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) Kernel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2025-33054](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-33054/): Remote Desktop Spoofing Vulnerability (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2025-29828](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-29828/): Windows Schannel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-20697 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-20697 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 22h2, published on 9 Jan 2024. 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: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-20697 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 11 22h2. 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-2024-20697/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20697/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-20697
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20697
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-20697

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20697/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.