Full system compromise; attackers can execute malware, steal data, or gain persistent access [2, 5]. How the Exploit Works

This vulnerability was a major security concern in 2023 because it allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code when a user simply attempted to view a benign-looking file (like a .jpg or .txt ) inside a specially crafted ZIP or RAR archive. Core Technical Details Logic bug (Input Validation) [1, 2]. CVE ID: CVE-2023-38831 [2]. Affected Versions: WinRAR versions prior to 6.23 [1, 3].

Many modern operating systems (Windows 11, macOS) now have native support for RAR and ZIP files, which are not susceptible to this specific WinRAR-based logic bug.

Inside that folder, the attacker places an executable script or malware (e.g., document.pdf .exe ) [4, 6].