CVE-2026-53801
rsync before 3.5.0 contains a symlink race condition vulnerability in the sender's directory scanning logic that allows attackers to cause the sender to enumerate and transfer files outside the module root's intended subtree.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.29%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
rsync before 3.5.0 contains a symlink race condition vulnerability in the sender's directory scanning logic that allows attackers to cause the sender to enumerate and transfer files outside the module root's intended subtree. Attackers who can create or manipulate symlinks in a path component of the scanned tree can replace a symlink with a directory entry pointing outside the module root between the lstat() call and the subsequent opendir() call, exposing files beyond the intended root in both daemon-mode and non-daemon sender-side scanning.
- CVSS 4.0
- 8.2 HIGHCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/M
- EPSS
- 0.29% probability · 21th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-59, CWE-367
- Affected
- samba/rsync
- Source
- disclosure@vulncheck.com
EPSS 0.3% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.5.0Product, Release Notes
- https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/security/advisories/GHSA-mch3-qr4p-chgmVendor Advisory
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/rsync-symlink-race-condition-directory-traversalRelease Notes, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.