CVE-2025-6218
RARLAB WinRAR Path Traversal Vulnerability
RARLAB WinRAR
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.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 9 December 2025. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 30 December 2025.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 90.5%, which is higher than 99.8% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2025-6218 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2025-6218.
What does CVE-2025-6218 affect?
CVE-2025-6218 affects RARLAB WinRAR. 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.
How severe is CVE-2025-6218?
CVE-2025-6218 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 90.5%, higher than 99.8% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 30 December 2025.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2025-6218?
Apply the vendor patch for RARLAB WinRAR as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.