CVE-2025-8088
CVE-2025-8088 — Path traversal vulnerability in WinRAR
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.
Published Updated Sources: NVD, win.rar GmbH (CNA), CISA, FIRST EPSS, GitHub, SOCRadar CTI
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the scoring sources call it.
Exploitation
Confirmed
CISA KEV, listed Aug 12, 2025
EPSS
94%
ahead of 99.8% of scored CVEs
CVSS base
8.8
high · 2 sources
CISA SSVC assessment
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses · SSVC 2.0.3. A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Exploitation
Active
none · proof-of-concept · active
Automatable
No
can an attacker script all four kill-chain steps
Technical impact
Total
partial · total control of the vulnerable component
Remediation
The vendor's own words where we have them.
Upgrade WinRAR to a fixed release. Apply vendor patches per advisory and restrict external exposure of the affected component until patched.
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.
Federal deadline Sep 2, 2025 — passed 389 days ago
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record's own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found.
- Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations.
- Treat as emergency remediation because CISA KEV status is present.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and version as the advisories word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| win.rar GmbH | WinRAR | 0 to <= 7.12 | Vulnerable |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Availability
High
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Scope
Unchanged
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Vector
Network
Privileges Req
None
User Interaction
Required
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 | CVSS 3.1 | high | 2.8 | 5.9 | NVD |
| 8.4 | CVSS 4.0 | high | — | — | win.rar GmbH (CNA) |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
What this weakness leads to
MITRE's own consequences and mitigations for the weakness class — the authority's wording, not guidance derived from the CVSS vector.
CWE-35 · Path Traversal: '.../...//'
- Read Files or Directories
- Modify Files or Directories::
Mitigation: Assume all input is malicious. Use an accept known good input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does. When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, boat may be syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input is only expected to contain colors such as red or blue. Do not rely exclusively on looking for malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if the code's environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright. When validating filenames, use stringent allowlists that limit the character set to be used. If feasible, only allow a single . character in the filename to avoid weaknesses such as CWE-23, and exclude directory separators such as / to avoid CWE-36. Use a list of allowable file extensions, which will help to avoid CWE-434. Do not rely exclusively on a filtering mechanism that removes potentially dangerous characters. This is equivalent to a denylist, which may be incomplete (CWE-184). For example, filtering / is insufficient protection if the filesystem also supports the use of as a directory separator. Another possible error could occur when the filtering is applied in a way that still produces dangerous data (CWE-182). For example, if ../ sequences are removed from the .../...// string in a sequential fashion, two instances of ../ would be removed from the original string, but the remaining characters would still form the ../ string.
Weakness & attack patterns
- CWE-35
Inferred from the weakness class — not observed against this CVE.
CISA KEV details
CISA lists a CVE here once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.
Listed
Aug 12, 2025
Federal deadline
Sep 2, 2025
passed 389 days ago
Ransomware use
Known
CISA records ransomware use only for campaigns it has confirmed, so “Unknown” means unrecorded, not ruled out. The deadline binds US federal agencies; for everyone else it is a date to argue against.
Public exploit
Capability, not use: code existing is a different claim from anyone running it.
Repositories
159
1 of the 5 sampled are weaponized
Exploit entries
23
Exploit-DB and CTI exploit indexes
Social mentions
Posts naming this CVE. Attention, not evidence of exploitation — it spikes on disclosure and decays whether or not anything is exploited.
CISA reports that the WinRAR vulnerability CVE-2025-8088 is now also being exploited in ransomware attacks. RomCom previously exploited the vulnerability as a zero-day. https://t.co/FAvSCnH0l2 #Security #CISA #CVE20258088 #Eset #ransomware - Follow for more
@techzine· Aug 7, 2026
CISA meldt dat WinRAR-lek CVE-2025-8088 nu ook bij ransomware-aanvallen wordt ingezet. RomCom misbruikte het lek eerder als zero-day. https://t.co/gJo4KZM76s #Security #CISA #CVE20258088 #Eset #kwetsbaarheid
@Techzinenlbe· Aug 7, 2026
Beyond the Archive: CVE-2025-8088 Stealer Targeting Ukraine BlueCyber This report details a targeted cyber-espionage campaign conducted by the Russia-aligned threat actor group APT SHADOW-EARTH-066 https://t.co/nxOWPnHlSN
@spstover112365· Jul 22, 2026
@zabrakin @Pirat_Nation Actually it did with CVE-2025-8088
@andres_html· Jul 21, 2026
@Pirat_Nation Same thing that happened to winRAR with CVE-2025-8088 huh, curioua.
@andres_html· Jul 21, 2026
35 more posts on this CVEShowing 5 of 40 · Who is discussing this CVE, and how loudlyUnlock freeDetection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not rules we have tested.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for network-reachable WinRAR.
- Monitor for scanner or exploit-pattern traffic after 182 public PoC repositories were reported.
Groups associated with this CVE
Groups reported in connection with this vulnerability. A reported association, not a confirmed observation of that group using it — and not scoped to any sector or campaign.
42 more threat groups on this CVEShowing 5 of 47 · Attribution, campaigns and the malware each one runsUnlock free- ip59.110.7.3293
blocklist.net.ua-Firehol · Aug 22, 2024
- ip166.0.132.23788
Public Proxy Feed · Oct 16, 2025
- ip38.225.209.22983
TweetFeed General · Apr 9, 2026
- ip136.0.141.13879
AbuseIPDB Hourly Update · Jan 5, 2026
- ip136.0.141.4188
AlienVault OTX Feeds · Jun 9, 2026
5 more indicators on this CVEShowing 5 of 10 · Hashes, addresses and domains from a live threat exchangeUnlock freeTimeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first — with the readings a source repeats on a schedule counted underneath rather than listed.
- 2026
Added · CVSS 3.1 8.8 (AV:N)
Aug 11, 2026 · NVD
Cve is exploited Lewis-Ricardo/Amaranth-Project
Jun 26, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI
- 2025
Added to CISA KEV catalog
Aug 12, 2025 · CISA
Initial · CVE published
Aug 8, 2025 · NVD
Source activity
Readings a source repeats on a schedule, counted rather than listed.
- 18×SVRS was changedJun 24, 2026 – Aug 21, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI
- 17×TweetsJun 20, 2026 – Aug 8, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI
- 2×1 time mentioned on 1 Telegram channelJun 26, 2026 – Jul 5, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI
- 1×Github_Repos · Github repository created, Lewis-Ricardo/Amaranth-ProjectJun 26, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI
References
9 on the record
- www.win-rar.com/singlenewsview.html?&L=0&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=283&cHash=a64b4a8f662d3639dec8d65f47bc93c5
Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
- arstechnica.com/security/2025/08/high-severity-winrar-0-day-exploited-for-weeks-by-2-groups/
Press/Media Coverage, NIST
- support.dtsearch.com/faq/dts0245.htm
Third Party Advisory, NIST
- www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-8088-detect-winrar-zero-day
Third Party Advisory, GITHUB, NIST
- www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-8088-mitigate-winrar-zero-day-using-srp-and-ifeo
Mitigation, Third Party Advisory, GITHUB, NIST
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-8088
US Government Resource, NIST
- www.welivesecurity.com/en/eset-research/update-winrar-tools-now-romcom-and-others-exploiting-zero-day-vulnerability/#the-discovery-of-cve-2025-8088
Press/Media Coverage, NIST
- www.win-rar.com/singlenewsview.html?&L=0&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=283&cHash=a64b4a8f662d3639dec8d65f47bc93c5
NIST
Coverage
20 stories from the feeds we poll
Exploits and vulnerabilities in Q2 2026
securelist.com · Aug 26, 2026
CVE-2025-8088
vuldb.com · Aug 6, 2026
Google Reports State-Backed Hackers Using Gemini AI for Recon and Attack Support - The Hacker News
thehackernews.com · Feb 12, 2026
15th June – Threat Intelligence Report
research.checkpoint.com · Jun 15, 2026
Threat Report: Ukraine as Russia’s Downrange Cyber-Warfare Target and Europe’s Emerging Exposure
krypt3ia.wordpress.com · Jun 23, 2026
15 more reports on this CVEShowing 5 of 20 · Vendor research and security press coverageUnlock freeElsewhere on this site
- win.rar GmbHevery CVE for this vendor
- August 2025what else CISA listed
- Path Traversalsame class
- CWE-35other pages naming this weakness
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- Only the 5 indicator(s) reported for this CVE are available; no packet-level or host-forensic artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record1
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2025-8088 is Path traversal vulnerability in WinRAR, a high vulnerability affecting WinRAR from win.rar GmbH. The current evidence lists it in CISA KEV, and the exploit status is: Yes: CISA KEV signal present. Public exploit evidence is: 182 public PoC repositories reported; 1 marked weaponized in current dataset. The affected-version evidence is listed in the key facts and affected products tables. Defenders should first verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run those versions, then apply vendor patches or mitigations, restrict reachable attack surface, and preserve logs for detection review. CVSS 8.8 describes technical severity, while EPSS 94% helps estimate near-term exploit likelihood; neither replaces asset context. Unknown fields should remain explicit in tickets, and threat actor, IOC, victimology, or payload claims should not be added unless a cited source supports them. Monitor CISA KEV, vendor advisories, NVD changes, public PoC repositories, and internal telemetry for update triggers.