Out-of-tree file disclosure via parent symlink race
Published Aug 13, 2026 · Updated Aug 13, 2026
Information disclosure in rsync before 3.5.0 allows local users to read files outside a sender's source tree through a symlink race. The non-daemon sender opens each file by path with O_NOFOLLOW only on the leaf, so a raced parent symlink is followed after the file-list scan. Exploitation requires write access to a parent directory and a higher-authority sender that copies the redirected file into an attacker-readable destination.
Summary
What happened
Information disclosure in rsync before 3.5.0 allows local users to read files outside a sender's source tree through a symlink race. The non-daemon sender opens each file by path with O_NOFOLLOW only on the leaf, so a raced parent symlink is followed after the file-list scan. Exploitation requires write access to a parent directory and a higher-authority sender that copies the redirected file into an attacker-readable destination.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-53797
- Published
- Aug 13, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 13, 2026
- Vendor
- Rsync Project
- Product
- rsync
- Classifications
- CWE-59, CWE-367, 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
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <=3.4.4
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- symlink-race-source regression testproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo