Archive exploitation is the abuse of ZIP, RAR, ISO, and other compressed-file formats to make a file do something the user did not intend. Instead of just storing data, a crafted archive can trick extraction tools into writing files to the wrong path, overwriting important files, hiding payloads, or triggering code execution through parser bugs and unsafe defaults.
This matters because archives are widely trusted in business and government workflows. Attackers use them to deliver malware, evade simple file filters, and blend malicious content into routine downloads. Defenders look for suspicious archive names, nested archives, unusual extraction paths, and known weaknesses in tools like WinRAR and 7-Zip. Patching archive software, blocking risky file types, and monitoring for unexpected child processes after extraction all help reduce this attack surface.