CVE-2017-16548
The receive_xattr function in xattrs.c in rsync 3.1.2 and 3.1.3-development does not check for a trailing '\0' character in an xattr name, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer over-read and application crash) or…
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (5.78%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
The receive_xattr function in xattrs.c in rsync 3.1.2 and 3.1.3-development does not check for a trailing '\0' character in an xattr name, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer over-read and application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact by sending crafted data to the daemon.
- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 CRITICALCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 5.78% probability · 93th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-125
- Affected
- samba/rsync · canonical/ubuntu linux · debian/debian linux
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 5.8% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- https://bugzilla.samba.org/show_bug.cgi?id=13112Issue Tracking
- https://git.samba.org/rsync.git/?p=rsync.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=47a63d90e71d3e19e0e96052bb8c6b9cb140ecc1
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2017/12/msg00020.htmlThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3543-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3543-2/Third Party Advisory
- https://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-4068Third Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.samba.org/show_bug.cgi?id=13112Issue Tracking
- https://git.samba.org/rsync.git/?p=rsync.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=47a63d90e71d3e19e0e96052bb8c6b9cb140ecc1
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2017/12/msg00020.htmlThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3543-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3543-2/Third Party Advisory
- https://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-4068Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.