UNIX symbolic link following in Rsync - CVE-2026-53802
Published: August 13, 2026
Vulnerability identifier: #VU142298
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4: 8.4 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]
CVE-ID: CVE-2026-53802
CWE-ID: CWE-61
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vulnerability details
The vulnerability allows a local user to disclose sensitive information and manipulate file transfer behavior.
The vulnerability exists due to improper link resolution before file access in operator-supplied input file handling when processing paths for filter merge files, files-from lists, include-from and exclude-from lists, password files, secrets files, and daemon files-from inputs. A local user can plant a symlink in a controlled path component to disclose sensitive information and manipulate file transfer behavior.
In the password-file and secrets-file cases, file contents may be sent as the daemon authentication response. The daemon files-from variant can read a file outside the served module.
Affected software
Rsync
How to mitigate CVE-2026-53802
Install security update from vendor's website.
Rsync - update to 3.5.0