CVE-2026-53803
Full vulnerability record from the local CVENow database.
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.
Severity
HIGH
CVSS score
8.5
(v4.0)
Vulnerability status
Analyzed
Source identifier
Published
2026-08-13 15:19:53.020000
Last modified
2026-10-24 16:10:00.153000
View original CVE JSON
{
"id": "CVE-2026-53803",
"sourceIdentifier": "[email protected]",
"published": "2026-08-13T15:19:53.020",
"lastModified": "2026-10-24T16:10:00.153",
"vulnStatus": "Analyzed",
"cveTags": [],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "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."
},
{
"lang": "es",
"value": "rsync anterior a la versión 3.5.0 contiene una vulnerabilidad de seguimiento de enlaces simbólicos que permite a atacantes locales sobrescribir archivos arbitrarios al colocar un enlace simbólico en una ruta de salida predecible como --log-file, --write-batch, o rutas de registro y estadísticas en modo demonio. Los atacantes pueden exploit el fallo de rsync al rechazar enlaces simbólicos durante escrituras de archivos auxiliares para redirigir la salida a ubicaciones arbitrarias del sistema de archivos, logrando escalada de privilegios local en instalaciones donde rsync se ejecuta con privilegios elevados como setuid o configuraciones de demonio privilegiado."
}
],
"affected": [
{
"source": "[email protected]",
"affectedData": [
{
"vendor": "RsyncProject",
"product": "rsync",
"defaultStatus": "unaffected",
"collectionURL": "https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync",
"packageName": "rsync",
"versions": [
{
"version": "0",
"lessThanOrEqual": "3.4.4",
"versionType": "semver",
"status": "affected"
},
{
"version": "3.5.0",
"versionType": "semver",
"status": "unaffected"
}
]
}
]
}
],
"metrics": {
"cvssMetricV40": [
{
"source": "[email protected]",
"type": "Secondary",
"cvssData": {
"version": "4.0",
"vectorString": "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/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",
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"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"attackVector": "LOCAL",
"attackComplexity": "LOW",
"attackRequirements": "NONE",
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"vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
"vulnIntegrityImpact": "HIGH",
"vulnAvailabilityImpact": "HIGH",
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"subIntegrityImpact": "NONE",
"subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE",
"exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED",
"confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED",
"integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED",
"availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
"modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
"Safety": "NOT_DEFINED",
"Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED",
"Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED",
"valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED",
"vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED",
"providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED"
}
}
],
"cvssMetricV31": [
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"source": "[email protected]",
"type": "Secondary",
"cvssData": {
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"vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
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"scope": "UNCHANGED",
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"availabilityImpact": "HIGH"
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],
"ssvcV203": [
{
"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"ssvcData": {
"timestamp": "2026-08-14T03:55:56.542553Z",
"id": "CVE-2026-53803",
"options": [
{
"exploitation": "none"
},
{
"automatable": "no"
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{
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}
],
"role": "CISA Coordinator",
"version": "2.0.3"
}
}
]
},
"weaknesses": [
{
"source": "[email protected]",
"type": "Secondary",
"description": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "CWE-59"
}
]
}
],
"configurations": [
{
"nodes": [
{
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"negate": false,
"cpeMatch": [
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"references": [
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"source": "[email protected]",
"tags": [
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},
{
"url": "https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/security/advisories/GHSA-g9f4-7q66-9582",
"source": "[email protected]",
"tags": [
"Vendor Advisory"
]
},
{
"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/rsync-symlink-following-arbitrary-file-overwrite",
"source": "[email protected]",
"tags": [
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"Third Party Advisory"
]
}
]
}