CVE-2026-53789

rsync before 3.5.0 contains an improper path handling vulnerability that allows a malicious sender to expand the scope of --delete operations beyond the intended destination subtree by sending a crafted file list that causes rsync to reclassify implied parent directory entries or treat synthetic paths as the transfer root. Attackers can exploit multiple variants including implied parent reclassification, synthetic root path construction, legacy protocol behavior below version 30, and non-directory root handling to cause the receiver to delete files outside the authorized destination directory.

CVSS v3 6.5 MEDIUM

6.5^/10

CVSS v3 : MEDIUM

Vector :

Exploitability : 2.8 / Impact : 3.6

Attack Vector NETWORK

Attack Complexity LOW

Privileges Required NONE

User Interaction REQUIRED

Confidentiality Impact NONE

Integrity Impact NONE

Availability Impact HIGH

Scope UNCHANGED

References

Link	Resource
https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.5.0	Product Release Notes
https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/security/advisories/GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q	Vendor Advisory
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/rsync-arbitrary-file-deletion-via-malicious-file-list	Release Notes Third Party Advisory

Configurations

Configuration 1 (hide)

cpe:2.3:a:samba:rsync:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

History

No history.

Information

Published : 2026-08-13 15:19

Updated : 2026-08-31 15:39

NVD link : CVE-2026-53789

Mitre link : CVE-2026-53789

CVE.ORG link : CVE-2026-53789

JSON object : View

Products Affected

samba

rsync

CWE

CWE-807

Reliance on Untrusted Inputs in a Security Decision

{"id": "CVE-2026-53789", "cveTags": [], "metrics": {"ssvcV203": [{"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0", "ssvcData": {"id": "CVE-2026-53789", "role": "CISA Coordinator", "options": [{"exploitation": "none"}, {"automatable": "no"}, {"technicalImpact": "partial"}], "version": "2.0.3", "timestamp": "2026-08-15T03:18:22.664464Z"}}], "cvssMetricV31": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "cvssData": {"scope": "UNCHANGED", "version": "3.1", "baseScore": 6.5, "attackVector": "NETWORK", "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H", "integrityImpact": "NONE", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 3.6, "exploitabilityScore": 2.8}, {"type": "Primary", "source": "nvd@nist.gov", "cvssData": {"scope": "UNCHANGED", "version": "3.1", "baseScore": 8.1, "attackVector": "NETWORK", "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 5.2, "exploitabilityScore": 2.8}], "cvssMetricV40": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "cvssData": {"Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "version": "4.0", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "baseScore": 7.1, "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/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/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X", "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED", "userInteraction": "PASSIVE", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "NONE", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "HIGH", "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED", "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED"}}]}, "affected": [{"source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "affectedData": [{"repo": "https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync", "vendor": "RsyncProject", "product": "rsync", "versions": [{"status": "affected", "version": "0", "versionType": "semver", "lessThanOrEqual": "3.4.4"}, {"status": "unaffected", "version": "3.5.0", "versionType": "semver"}], "packageURL": "pkg:github/RsyncProject/rsync", "defaultStatus": "unaffected"}]}], "published": "2026-08-13T15:19:43.030", "references": [{"url": "https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.5.0", "tags": ["Product", "Release Notes"], "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}, {"url": "https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/security/advisories/GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q", "tags": ["Vendor Advisory"], "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}, {"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/rsync-arbitrary-file-deletion-via-malicious-file-list", "tags": ["Release Notes", "Third Party Advisory"], "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}], "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "weaknesses": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-807"}]}], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "rsync before 3.5.0\u00a0contains an improper path handling vulnerability that allows a malicious sender to expand the scope of --delete operations beyond the intended destination subtree by sending a crafted file list that causes rsync to reclassify implied parent directory entries or treat synthetic paths as the transfer root. Attackers can exploit multiple variants including implied parent reclassification, synthetic root path construction, legacy protocol behavior below version 30, and non-directory root handling to cause the receiver to delete files outside the authorized destination directory."}], "lastModified": "2026-08-31T15:39:11.917", "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:samba:rsync:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "vulnerable": true, "matchCriteriaId": "6985EC7E-B9D3-4BD6-96F9-43F8322282E7", "versionEndExcluding": "3.5.0"}], "operator": "OR"}]}], "sourceIdentifier": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}