CVE-2026-53798Network attack vector

Root ownership assignment via empty converter response

Published Aug 13, 2026 · Updated Aug 13, 2026

Privilege confusion in rsync 3.4.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to assign root ownership to transferred file metadata. The daemon treats an empty name-converter reply as successful and converts it with atol("") to uid or gid 0 instead of reporting lookup failure. Exploitation requires a daemon module configured with a name converter and fake super = yes; affected transfers store attacker-influenced metadata as root-owned.

CVSS severity6.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.31%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege confusion in rsync 3.4.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to assign root ownership to transferred file metadata. The daemon treats an empty name-converter reply as successful and converts it with atol("") to uid or gid 0 instead of reporting lookup failure. Exploitation requires a daemon module configured with a name converter and fake super = yes; affected transfers store attacker-influenced metadata as root-owned.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-53798
Published
Aug 13, 2026
Updated
Aug 13, 2026
Vendor
Rsync Project
Product
rsync
Classifications
CWE-704, T1222.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 13, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=3.4.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Rsync Project · rsyncversion=0 <=3.4.4

Published CVSS scores

6.9VulnCheckCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
5.3VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-704Incorrect Type Conversion or Cast
T1222.002Linux and Mac File and Directory Permissions Modification

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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