Overview
A critical vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-11001, has been discovered in 7-Zip. This flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on systems using affected versions of the software. Exploitation requires user interaction, typically involving opening a specially crafted ZIP file. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of symbolic links within ZIP archives.
Technical Details
CVE-2025-11001 is a directory traversal vulnerability residing within 7-Zip’s ZIP file parsing functionality. Specifically, the vulnerability arises from the incorrect handling of symbolic links embedded within ZIP archives. A specially crafted ZIP file containing malicious symbolic links can cause 7-Zip to traverse to unintended directories during the extraction process. This out-of-bounds write allows an attacker to potentially overwrite critical system files or execute malicious code within the context of the service account under which 7-Zip is running.
The specific vulnerability was reported as ZDI-CAN-26753.
CVSS Analysis
As of the publication date, a CVSS score has not yet been assigned to CVE-2025-11001. However, given the potential for remote code execution, it is likely to be classified as a High or Critical severity vulnerability upon assessment.
Possible Impact
The successful exploitation of CVE-2025-11001 can have severe consequences, including:
- Remote Code Execution: An attacker can execute arbitrary code on the affected system.
- Privilege Escalation: Depending on the context in which 7-Zip is running (e.g., a service account with elevated privileges), an attacker could gain higher-level access to the system.
- Data Breach: An attacker could potentially access and exfiltrate sensitive data stored on the compromised system.
- System Compromise: Complete compromise of the affected system, potentially leading to data loss, service disruption, and further lateral movement within the network.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
The most effective mitigation is to apply the patch or upgrade to a version of 7-Zip that addresses this vulnerability. Check the official 7-Zip website for updates. In the interim, consider the following preventative measures:
- Exercise Caution: Be extremely cautious when opening ZIP files from untrusted sources.
- Sandbox Environment: If possible, open suspicious ZIP files in a sandboxed environment to limit the potential impact of exploitation.
- Antivirus and Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR): Ensure that your antivirus and EDR solutions are up-to-date and configured to detect malicious ZIP files.
- File Integrity Monitoring: Implement file integrity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized changes to critical system files.
