# CVE-2025-6218: RARLAB WinRAR Path Traversal

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening malicious archives that exploit directory traversal flaws in WinRAR.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 9 Dec 2025 (CISA KEV)
- **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:** 21 Jun 2025
- **Updated:** 26 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8x66-x5gf-2pc8

## What is CVE-2025-6218?

CVE-2025-6218 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in RARLAB WinRAR, published on 21 Jun 2025. 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

RARLAB WinRAR Directory Traversal Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of RARLAB WinRAR. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.

The specific flaw exists within the handling of file paths within archive files. A crafted file path can cause the process to traverse to unintended directories. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current user. Was ZDI-CAN-27198.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-6218?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Rarlab Winrar.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-6218?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-6218 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 30 Dec 2025.

## Is CVE-2025-6218 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2025-6218 in the wild since at least 9 Dec 2025.

Public exploit code:

- Proof of Concept for CVE-2025-6218, demonstrating the exploitation of a vulnerability in WinRAR versions 7.11 and under, involving improper handling of archive extraction paths. (github_poc): https://github.com/skimask1690/CVE-2025-6218-POC
- CVE-2025-6218 is a directory traversal vulnerability in WinRAR that allows an attacker to place files outside the intended extraction directory when a user extracts a specially crafted (github_poc): https://github.com/absholi7ly/CVE-2025-6218-WinRAR-Directory-Traversal-RCE
- https://github.com/speinador/CVE-2025-6218_WinRAR (github_poc): https://github.com/speinador/CVE-2025-6218_WinRAR
- A simple proof of concept for WinRAR Path Traversal | RCE | CVE-2025-6218 (github_poc): https://github.com/ignis-sec/CVE-2025-6218
- RARLAB WinRAR Directory Traversal Remote Code Execution (github_poc): https://github.com/mulwareX/CVE-2025-6218-POC
- Comprehensive analysis and proof-of-concept for CVE-2025-6218 - WinRAR path traversal RCE vulnerability affecting versions 7.11 and earlier (github_poc): https://github.com/Chrxstxqn/CVE-2025-6218-WinRAR-RCE-POC

## Other vulnerabilities in RARLAB WinRAR

- [CVE-2023-38831](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38831/): RARLAB WinRAR Code Execution (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-20250](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20250/): WinRAR Absolute Path Traversal (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-2025-6218 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-6218 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in RARLAB WinRAR, published on 21 Jun 2025. 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-2025-6218 in the wild since at least 9 Dec 2025.

Affected product: RARLAB 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-2025-6218/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-6218/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-6218
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-6218
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-6218

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-6218/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.