How severe is CVE-2023-38831?

CVE-2023-38831 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2023-38831 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2023-38831 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2023-08-24, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-38831?

CVE-2023-38831 affects Rarlab Winrar. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-38831?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.

Does CVE-2023-38831 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2023-38831 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2023-42604. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2023-08-24).

When was CVE-2023-38831 published?

CVE-2023-38831 was published on 2023-08-23 and last updated on 2026-08-05.

CVE-2023-38831

CVE-2023-38831 is a high-severity vulnerability in Rarlab Winrar with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2023-08-24). The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-345.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 98% (100th percentile)
Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2023-08-24)
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2023-42604
EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2023-08-24)
Weakness: CWE-345
Affected product: Rarlab Winrar
Published: 2023-08-23
Last modified: 2026-08-05

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.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-38831?: 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.
How severe is CVE-2023-38831?: CVE-2023-38831 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2023-38831 being actively exploited?: Yes. CVE-2023-38831 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2023-08-24, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-38831?: CVE-2023-38831 affects Rarlab Winrar. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-38831?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2023-38831 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2023-38831 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2023-42604. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2023-08-24).
When was CVE-2023-38831 published?: CVE-2023-38831 was published on 2023-08-23 and last updated on 2026-08-05.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:rarlab:winrar:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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