rsync before 3.5.0 contains a symlink following vulnerability that allows local attackers to overwrite arbitrary files by placing a symlink at a predictable output path such as --log-file, --write-batch, or daemon-mode log and statistics paths. Attackers can exploit rsync's failure to reject symlinks during ancillary file writes to redirect output to arbitrary filesystem locations, achieving local privilege escalation on installations where rsync runs with elevated privileges such as setuid or privileged daemon configurations.
History

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 15:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description rsync before 3.5.0 contains a symlink following vulnerability that allows local attackers to overwrite arbitrary files by placing a symlink at a predictable output path such as --log-file, --write-batch, or daemon-mode log and statistics paths. Attackers can exploit rsync's failure to reject symlinks during ancillary file writes to redirect output to arbitrary filesystem locations, achieving local privilege escalation on installations where rsync runs with elevated privileges such as setuid or privileged daemon configurations.
Title rsync < 3.5.0 Symlink Following Arbitrary File Overwrite
Weaknesses CWE-59
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 8.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}


cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-13T14:33:18.552Z

Reserved: 2026-06-10T20:14:32.829Z

Link: CVE-2026-53803

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-13T15:19:53.020

Modified: 2026-08-13T15:19:53.020

Link: CVE-2026-53803

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-13T17:00:04Z