CVE-2026-53789

rsync < 3.5.0 Arbitrary File Deletion via Malicious File List

HIGH
8.1
CVSS Score
Published: August 13, 2026 at 02:37 PM UTC
Updated: October 24, 2026 at 04:10 PM UTC
2 products affected across 2 vendorsRsyncRsync

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Severity
HIGH8.1
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.4%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

rsync before 3.5.0 contains an improper path handling vulnerability that allows a malicious sender to expand the scope of --delete operations beyond the intended destination subtree by sending a crafted file list that causes rsync to reclassify implied parent directory entries or treat synthetic paths as the transfer root. Attackers can exploit multiple variants including implied parent reclassification, synthetic root path construction, legacy protocol behavior below version 30, and non-directory root handling to cause the receiver to delete files outside the authorized destination directory.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 3.5.0
Affected range stops below 3.5.0, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
0 ≤ v ≤ 3.4.4
Vendor states this is fixed in 3.5.0 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-807

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