rsync before 3.5.0 contains a symlink race condition vulnerability in the --remove-source-files feature that allows attackers with symlink creation access to cause arbitrary file deletion. Attackers can atomically substitute a symlink for a source file between transfer completion and the unlink() call, causing rsync to delete the symlink target rather than the intended source file.

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity High

Privileges Required Low

Attack Requirements None

User Interaction None

Vulnerable System Confidentiality Impact None

Vulnerable System Integrity Impact None

Vulnerable System Availability Impact High

Subsequent System Confidentiality Impact None

Subsequent System Integrity Impact None

Subsequent System Availability Impact None

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity High

Privileges Required Low

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

No EPSS score available.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
RsyncProject rsync unaffected
Version Status Constraints
0 affected ≤ 3.4.4
3.5.0 unaffected —

No data.

No data.

OpenCVE Enrichment is a feature of OpenCVE that uses AI to automatically link vendors and products to CVEs. Learn more on GitHub.

No data.

Project Subscriptions

No data.

Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.

Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

References
Link Providers
https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.5.0 cve-icon cve-icon
https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/security/advisories/GHSA-v3vw-pvpg-chwh cve-icon cve-icon
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/rsync-symlink-race-condition-via-remove-source-files cve-icon cve-icon
History

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 15:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description rsync before 3.5.0 contains a symlink race condition vulnerability in the --remove-source-files feature that allows attackers with symlink creation access to cause arbitrary file deletion. Attackers can atomically substitute a symlink for a source file between transfer completion and the unlink() call, causing rsync to delete the symlink target rather than the intended source file.
Title rsync < 3.5.0 Symlink Race Condition via --remove-source-files
Weaknesses CWE-367
CWE-59
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 5.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Projects

Sign in to view the affected projects.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-13T14:40:57.690Z

Reserved: 2026-06-10T20:14:32.828Z

Link: CVE-2026-53800

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-13T15:19:52.300

Modified: 2026-08-13T15:19:52.300

Link: CVE-2026-53800

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-13T17:00:04Z

Weaknesses