You Need to Update WinRAR Right Now
RARLAB has fixed a critical security vulnerability in the popular WinRAR file compression software. This vulnerability allows hackers to execute commands on your Windows PC if you simply open a malicious compressed file. If you are using the software, you should update to version 6.23 or later as soon as possible.
Security researcher Goodbyeselene highlighted this bug on the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), according to Bleeping Computer . Antivirus software company Trend Micro operates ZDI, which financially rewards security researchers for reporting critical security vulnerabilities.
According to ZDI magazine, the WinRAR vulnerability allowed “remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations” of WinRAR. The log notes that you are only at risk if you open a malicious file or visit an unsafe web page. However, this is not a far-fetched scenario as RAR is one of the most popular formats for compressed files. Anyone who has tried to download large files has probably come across RAR files at some point.
When you try to download software, music, games or movies from unknown sources, you may find that they are packaged in RAR files. An attacker could create these RAR files in a way that could exploit this vulnerability and infect your computer. The only correct solution to avoid this problem is to update WinRAR immediately. RARLAB has acknowledged and fixed this issue , so there is no reason to delay the release of the latest software update.
At the same time, many PC users may no longer need WinRAR. Windows 11 will soon add native support for RAR archives , which means you’ll be able to create and extract RAR files without installing WinRAR at all. You can already try out this feature on Windows Insider operating system builds, for which you can register on this page .
It’s worth noting that Windows Insider builds are for testing future features and should not be considered as an alternative to stable versions of the operating system. These builds may contain serious bugs that can make it difficult to use your PC. You should be aware of the risks and back up everything important before proceeding to install these builds.
Support for RAR files in Windows 11 includes basic features that are good enough for most people, but power users who create a lot of RAR archives may still prefer to use WinRAR. If you have WinRAR installed, you should update the software to version 6.23 or later.