---
title: "CVE-2025-6218: RARLAB WinRAR Path Traversal Vulnerability"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2025-6218/
description: "CVE-2025-6218 (RARLAB WinRAR): Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV). RARLAB WinRAR Directory Traversal Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2025-06-21
date_modified: 2026-02-26
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2025-6218"
kev: true
cvss: 7.8
epss: 0.90479
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2025-6218: RARLAB WinRAR Path Traversal Vulnerability

**Signal:** Exploited: patch now if you run it. CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Yes, if you run RARLAB WinRAR. CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2025-12-09, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild. US federal agencies must remediate by 2025-12-30 ; treat that as the outer limit, not the target.
- EPSS 90.5% , percentile 99.8: FIRST’s model estimates a 90.5% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 99.8% of all scored CVEs (very high). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs local access needed. Lower urgency for most teams unless an attacker could already run code on the machine.

## What it is

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.

## Affected products (CVE record)

- RARLAB WinRAR: 7.11 (64-bit)

## Severity

- zdi CVSS 3.0: 7.8 `CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: added 2025-12-09; federal due date 2025-12-30. Known ransomware use: Unknown.
- CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active , automatable no , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 90.48% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 99.8.

## Sources

- [vendor-provided URL](https://www.win-rar.com/singlenewsview.html?&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=276&cHash=388885bd3908a40726f535c026f94eb6)
- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (win-rar.com)](https://www.win-rar.com/singlenewsview.html?&L=0&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=276&cHash=b5165454d983fc9717bc8748901a64f9)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2025-6218](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-6218)
- [NVD entry CVE-2025-6218](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-6218)
- [CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog entry](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-6218)
- [ZDI-25-409](https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-25-409/)
- [secpod.com](https://www.secpod.com/blog/archive-terror-dissecting-the-winrar-cve-2025-6218-exploit-apt-c-08s-stealth-move/)
- [foresiet.com](https://foresiet.com/blog/apt-c-08-winrar-directory-traversal-exploit/)

---
Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2025-6218/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt