CVE-2026-53803: rsync before 3.5.0 contains a symlink following vulnerability that allows local attackers to overwrite arbitrary files…
CVE-2026-53803 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-08-13
rsync before 3.5.0 contains a symlink following vulnerability that allows local attackers to overwrite arbitrary files by placing a symlink at a predictable output path such as --log-file, --write-batch, or daemon-mode log and statistics paths. Attackers can exploit rsync's failure to reject symlinks during ancillary file writes to redirect output to arbitrary filesystem locations, achieving local privilege escalation on installations where rsync runs with elevated privileges such as setuid or privileged daemon configurations.
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-53803 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-53803?
High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 13 August 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Samba Rsync. The advisory does not name versions.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53803?
No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-53803?
Check whether you run Samba Rsync. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.