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WinRAR Version 7.23

WinRAR version 7.23 has been released, offering the latest update to the popular file compression and archiving software.

Background

- **WinRAR** is a longtime proprietary file archiver for Windows, famous for its high compression ratio and its distinctive icon (stacked books). It was first released in 1995. - It uses the proprietary **RAR format** (.rar) and also supports ZIP, 7z, and many other archive formats. - **Eugene Roshal** (the "R" in RAR) created the format and the original DOS tool; his company **win.rar GmbH** (Germany) now develops WinRAR. - WinRAR is "shareware" — after a 40-day trial, it never actually stops working, but a nag screen reminds users to buy a license (~$30). This has made it both ubiquitous and controversial. - Version numbering matters because WinRAR is a common attack surface: many serious CVEs (e.g., CVE-2023-40477, a remote code execution bug in older versions) have been patched over the years. - Version 7.23 brings typical improvements: support for new RAR5-format features (like larger dictionary sizes and improved recovery records), updated libraries to fix security vulnerabilities, and compatibility fixes for Windows 11.

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