CVE-2026-53803

Local privilege escalation via symlinked output paths

Published Aug 13, 2026 · Updated Aug 13, 2026

Link following in ancillary file handling in Rsync Project rsync before 3.5.0 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files. Ancillary opens for --log-file, batch files, and daemon paths follow attacker-planted leaf or parent-component symlinks instead of confining the path. Exploitation requires control of a predictable path and an elevated rsync process, enabling writes with that process's filesystem privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Link following in ancillary file handling in Rsync Project rsync before 3.5.0 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files. Ancillary opens for --log-file, batch files, and daemon paths follow attacker-planted leaf or parent-component symlinks instead of confining the path. Exploitation requires control of a predictable path and an elevated rsync process, enabling writes with that process's filesystem privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-53803
Published
Aug 13, 2026
Updated
Aug 13, 2026
Vendor
Rsync Project
Product
rsync
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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 vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Rsync Project · rsyncversion=0 <=3.4.4

Published CVSS scores

7.8GitHub Security AdvisoryCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

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No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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