# CVE-2025-8088: RARLAB WinRAR Path Traversal

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by crafting malicious archive files, requiring users to update WinRAR to mitigate this actively exploited vulnerability.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 12 Aug 2025 (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:** Yes
- **Published:** 8 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 11 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-832g-3rcm-wcrf, MINI-9hmf-624v-wh2w, MINI-r98c-2pfh-2854

## What is CVE-2025-8088?

CVE-2025-8088 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in win.rar GmbH WinRAR, published on 8 Aug 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

A path traversal vulnerability affecting the Windows version of WinRAR allows the attackers to execute arbitrary code by crafting malicious archive files. This vulnerability was exploited in the wild and was discovered by Anton Cherepanov, Peter Košinár, and Peter Strýček
     from ESET.

Weakness: CWE-35 (Path Traversal: '.../...//')

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-8088?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Dtsearch Dtsearch, Rarlab Winrar.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-8088?

Upgrade to a fixed version. US federal agencies must fix it by 2 Sep 2025.

## Is CVE-2025-8088 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2025-8088 in the wild since at least 12 Aug 2025, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2025-8088 WinRAR Proof of Concept (PoC-Exploit) (github_poc): https://github.com/sxyrxyy/CVE-2025-8088-WinRAR-Proof-of-Concept-PoC-Exploit-
- Advanced WinRAR Path Traversal Exploit Tool for CVE-2025-8088 (github_poc): https://github.com/onlytoxi/CVE-2025-8088-Winrar-Tool
- A sophisticated GUI tool for creating malicious RAR archives that exploit the WinRAR path traversal vulnerability (CVE-2025-8088) using ADS and RAR5 header manipulation. (github_poc): https://github.com/hexsecteam/CVE-2025-8088-Winrar-Tool
- WinRAR 0day CVE-2025-8088 PoC RAR Archive (github_poc): https://github.com/knight0x07/WinRAR-CVE-2025-8088-PoC-RAR
- Exploit systems using older WinRAR without knowing their username (unlike other projects) (github_poc): https://github.com/pentestfunctions/CVE-2025-8088-Multi-Document
- An engaging walkthrough on uncovering, patching, and securing the WinRAR CVE-2025-8088 with a hands-on hacker’s twist. (github_poc): https://github.com/AdityaBhatt3010/CVE-2025-8088-WinRAR-Zero-Day-Path-Traversal

## Other vulnerabilities in win.rar GmbH WinRAR

- [CVE-2018-11488](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11488/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-8088 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-8088 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in win.rar GmbH WinRAR, published on 8 Aug 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-2025-8088 in the wild since at least 12 Aug 2025, including in ransomware campaigns.

Affected product: win.rar GmbH 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-2025-8088/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-8088/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-8088
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-8088
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-8088

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-8088/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.