CVE-2023-38831
7.8 · HIGH Actively ExploitedOverview
CVE-2023-38831 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting rarlab winrar. It was published on August 23, 2023 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH). This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, indicating active exploitation in the wild.
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical Description
RARLAB WinRAR before 6.23 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code when a user attempts to view a benign file within a ZIP archive. The issue occurs because a ZIP archive may include a benign file (such as an ordinary .JPG file) and also a folder that has the same name as the benign file, and the contents of the folder (which may include executable content) are processed during an attempt to access only the benign file. This was exploited in the wild in April through October 2023.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from rarlab. Update winrar to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| rarlab | winrar | >= 0, < 6.23 | Affected |
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2023-38831?
CVE-2023-38831 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting rarlab winrar. It was published on August 23, 2023 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH). This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, indicating active exploitation in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2023-38831?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2023-38831?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from rarlab. Update winrar to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2023-38831?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2023-38831 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
Automated penetration testing that runs continuously, not just quarterly.
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Browser-based exploitation validates findings with real proof-of-concept.
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