Session interception via unauthenticated TLS helper
Published Aug 13, 2026 · Updated Aug 13, 2026
Improper certificate validation in rsync-ssl allows man-in-the-middle attackers to intercept and alter protected file transfers. The stunnel backend through 3.4.4 either skips CA verification or omits hostname binding, while the OpenSSL backend in 3.2.0 through 3.2.3 omits verify_hostname. Exploitation requires an on-path position and a user-initiated rsync-ssl connection, exposing transfer confidentiality and integrity.
Summary
What happened
Improper certificate validation in rsync-ssl allows man-in-the-middle attackers to intercept and alter protected file transfers. The stunnel backend through 3.4.4 either skips CA verification or omits hostname binding, while the OpenSSL backend in 3.2.0 through 3.2.3 omits verify_hostname. Exploitation requires an on-path position and a user-initiated rsync-ssl connection, exposing transfer confidentiality and integrity.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-70454
- Published
- Aug 13, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 13, 2026
- Vendor
- Rsync Project
- Product
- rsync
- Classifications
- CWE-295, T1557
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
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?
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.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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