Description
rsync before 3.5.0 contains a symlink race condition vulnerability that allows local attackers to cause rsync to apply arbitrary ACLs or extended attributes to unintended files by substituting a symlink at a predictable destination path between the file write and the subsequent acl_set_file() or lsetxattr() call. Attackers can exploit this timing window to redirect ACL and xattr application through a crafted symlink to files outside the intended destination tree, potentially granting elevated permissions and enabling local privilege escalation.
Affected products
samba: rsync
References3
- github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/security/advisories/GHSA-phxh-hjq… Vendor Advisory
- github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.5.0 ProductRelease Notes
- www.vulncheck.com/advisories/rsync-symlink-race-condition-via-a… Release NotesThird Party Advisory
Metrics
- CVSS 3.1
-
6.3
MEDIUM
Score source: CNA
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - CVSS 4.0
-
7.2
HIGH
Score source: CNA
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - EPSS — exploit probability
- 0% percentile: 2 · as of 12 November 2026
- CWE
- CWE-59CWE-367
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