Out-of-root file access via symlinked module chdir
Published Aug 13, 2026 · Updated Aug 13, 2026
Path traversal in the rsync daemon before 3.5.0 allows local users to read or write files outside a configured module root. At session initialization, the daemon passes the configured module path to chdir() without securely resolving a symlink in that path, so later relative operations use the symlink target as their base. Exploitation requires use chroot = no and a module-root symlink controlled by a low-privileged local user; remote clients can then reach only files permitted to the daemon account.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in the rsync daemon before 3.5.0 allows local users to read or write files outside a configured module root. At session initialization, the daemon passes the configured module path to chdir() without securely resolving a symlink in that path, so later relative operations use the symlink target as their base. Exploitation requires use chroot = no and a module-root symlink controlled by a low-privileged local user; remote clients can then reach only files permitted to the daemon account.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-53784
- Published
- Aug 13, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 13, 2026
- Vendor
- Rsync Project
- Product
- rsync
- Classifications
- CWE-59, T1005
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 13, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 13, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=0 <=3.4.4
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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