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Fencer Intel
high 7.8

CVE-2018-20250 kev+ ransomware in the critical feed json

In WinRAR versions prior to and including 5.61, There is path traversal vulnerability when crafting the filename field of the ACE format (i…

published 7y ago modified 2mo ago also EUVD-2018-12813

cvss
7.8
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Exploited
added 2022-02-15, used in ransomware
epss
96.0%
EPSS 96.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 99.8%
public exploits
3
Metasploit and Exploit-DB

Summary

In WinRAR versions prior to and including 5.61, There is path traversal vulnerability when crafting the filename field of the ACE format (in UNACEV2.dll). When the filename field is manipulated with specific patterns, the destination (extraction) folder is ignored, thus treating the filename as an absolute path.

Patch / fix

cisa required action Apply updates per vendor instructions.

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Timeline

  1. First public exploit (Metasploit exploit/windows/fileformat/winrar_ace)
  2. Published
  3. CISA SSVC: exploitation active
  4. Added to CISA KEV
  5. CISA patch deadline

Known exploited

Added
4y ago
Patch by
2022-08-15 (4y ago)
Ransomware
Known to be used in ransomware campaigns
Required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Vendor, product
RARLAB, WinRAR
CISA name
WinRAR Absolute Path Traversal Vulnerability

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
Active, exploited in the wild
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total
Assessed
4y ago

Exploit prediction

96.00% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.8% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

Exploits and checks

  • Metasploit exploit/windows/fileformat/winrar_ace RARLAB WinRAR ACE Format Input Validation Remote Code Execution metasploit exploit, excellent rank, 2019-02-05
  • EDB-46756 RARLAB WinRAR 5.61 - ACE Format Input Validation Remote Code Execution (Metasploit) local, 2019-04-25
  • EDB-46552 WinRAR 5.61 - Path Traversal local, 2019-02-22
  • github.com https://github.com/blau72/CVE-2018-20250-WinRAR-ACE referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • research.checkpoint.com https://research.checkpoint.com/extracting-code-execution-from-winrar/ referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • packetstormsecurity.com http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/152618/RARLAB-WinRAR-ACE-Format-Input-Validation-Remote-Code-Execution.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CISA ADP 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 6.8 AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Affected products

  • Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. WinRAR

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-36 Absolute Path Traversal
  • CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory

References

Sources

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.