CVE-2025-8088: RARLAB WinRAR exploited

Advisory generated from the CVE record, CISA, Exploit Observer and VEDAS: what it is, whether it is exploited, who is affected, and how to fix and detect it.

What it is

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.

Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by ESET, published 2025-08-08).

Weakness: CWE-35 Path traversal

How it can be exploited

Exploitable with local access with low attack complexity with no special attack requirements needing no privileges and a user must actively take an action. Impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high. 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

CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses exploitation as active. Automatable: no. Technical impact: total.

On CISA KEV since: 2025-08-12
US federal deadline: 2025-09-02
Ransomware use: Yes

Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)

Also known as: BDU:2025-09597, CNNVD-202508-753, EUVD-2025-23983, GHSA-832g-3rcm-wcrf

VEDAS cluster: VEDAS:GATESGOLD

Exploit Observer links 58 pieces of public exploit code or detection modules that name this CVE or one of its aliases.

Exploit code and modules (58)

Code that names this CVE. A repository can be a working exploit, a scanner, a fake or malware; read it before running anything.

Code repository: https://github.com/0xabolfazl/cve-2025-8088-winrar-pathtraversal-poc
Code repository: https://github.com/4daysday/cve-2025-8088
Code repository: https://github.com/adityabhatt3010/cve-2025-8088-winrar-zero-day-path-traversal
Code repository: https://github.com/aldisakti2/cve-2025-8088-builder-winrar-tool
Code repository: https://github.com/amel-62/winrar-cve-2025-8088-poc-rar
Code repository: https://github.com/ashwesker/ashwesker-cve-2025-8088
Code repository: https://github.com/blowrrr/cve-2025-8088
Code repository: https://github.com/cozythrill/cve-2025-8088
Code repository: https://github.com/deepblue-dot/cve-2025-8088-winrar-startup-poc
Code repository: https://github.com/fathi-mo/poc-cve-2025-8088
Code repository: https://github.com/ghostn4444/cve-2025-8088
Code repository: https://github.com/h0melike/cve-2025-8088
and 46 more

Research and write-ups (11)

Research or write-up: https://blog.qualys.com/product-tech/2025/09/05/cve-2025-8088-winrar-exploit-from-zero-day-to-zero-risk-with-trurisk-eliminate
Research or write-up: https://cti.wazuh.com/vulnerabilities/cves/CVE-2025-8088
Research or write-up: https://digitalreport.com.tr/winrarda-kritik-cve-2025-8088-acigi-istismar-ediliyor
Research or write-up: https://ptsecurity.com/research/trending-vulnerabilities/CVE-2025-8088
Research or write-up: https://ptsecurity.com/ru-ru/research/trending-vulnerabilities/CVE-2025-8088
Research or write-up: https://research.checkpoint.com/2026/amaranth-dragon-weaponizes-cve-2025-8088-for-targeted-espionage
Research or write-up: https://sibermerkez.com/blog/winrar-sifir-gun-acigi-cve-2025-8088-romcom-grubu-hedef-aliyor-simdi-guncelleyin
Research or write-up: https://socprime.com/blog/detect-cve-2025-8088-exploitation-for-romcom-delivery
Research or write-up: https://techbriefly.com/winrar-zero-day-cve-2025-8088-exploited-by-romcom
Research or write-up: https://threatlandscape.io/blog/abuse-of-cve-2025-8088-enables-stealthy-loader-deployment-in-targeted-intrusions
Research or write-up: https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/eset-research/update-winrar-tools-now-romcom-and-others-exploiting-zero-day-vulnerability/#the-discovery-of-cve-2025-8088

Vulnerability databases and vendor advisories (9)

Catalogue entries, not exploit evidence.

Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/enisa/EUVD-2025-23983
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-832g-3rcm-wcrf
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-8088
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-8088
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cnnvd.org.cn/home/globalSearch?keyword=CNNVD-202508-753
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-8088
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.tenable.com/cve/CVE-2025-8088
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-8088-detect-winrar-zero-day
Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-8088-mitigate-winrar-zero-day-using-srp-and-ifeo

400 more references returned by Exploit Observer did not name this CVE or an alias, so they are left out.

VEDAS data as of 2026-11-01T17:12 UTC; fetched 2026-11-02.

Live scores

EPSS: 0.940
very likely to be attacked soon
VEDAS: 0.979
strong exploit evidence
On CISA KEV: Yes, since 2025-08-12
Detection rule: Out of scope (local)

EPSS (chance of attack)

VEDAS (exploit evidence)

Thin horizontal line: the “likely” (EPSS 0.10) or “strong” (VEDAS 0.90) threshold. Shaded “no data” areas are periods when cve-scores did not publish.

Who is affected

Product	Affected	Not affected
win.rar GmbH WinRAR	up to and including 7.12	Not stated

Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.

Exploit Observer also maps it to: rarlab winrar, winrar_gmbh winrar.

How to fix it

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.

Vendor guidance:

How to detect it

This bug needs local access to exploit. VEDAS signatures cover remotely exploitable bugs for now, so there is no network rule or remote check for it. Patch it and watch your endpoint telemetry for unusual local activity.

Advisories on this CVE

WinRAR path traversal (CVE-2025-8088) (August 2025)

References

Exploits and technical analysis

https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/eset-research/update-winrar-tools-now-romcom-and-others-exploiting-zero-day-vulnerability/#the-discovery-of-cve-2025-8088 (technical-description)

Government sources

https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-8088 (government-resource)

Other references

Other databases

Where this comes from

This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, CISA KEV, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.

CVE-2025-8088: RARLAB WinRAR Path Traversal Vulnerability