# CVE-2026-41176: Rclone: Unauthenticated options/set allows runtime auth bypass, leading to sensitive operations and command execution

> Unauthenticated attackers can disable RC authentication to access administrative functions and execute commands on exposed rclone servers.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.2 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 22 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 15 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** BIT-rclone-2026-41176, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-41176, GHSA-25qr-6mpr-f7qx, GO-2026-4964, JLSEC-2026-280, MINI-4jx4-487c-p5vr, MINI-5fcg-rj94-c36p, MINI-5m24-49v2-qmx9, MINI-69fx-44cp-pmjx, MINI-98m4-mrmr-q6fp, MINI-gpw4-38v6-q4mc, ROOT-APP-GOBINARY-CVE-2026-41176, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-41176

## What is CVE-2026-41176?

CVE-2026-41176 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in rclone, published on 22 Apr 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Rclone is a command-line program to sync files and directories to and from different cloud storage providers. The RC endpoint `options/set` is exposed without `AuthRequired: true`, but it can mutate global runtime configuration, including the RC option block itself. Starting in version 1.45.0 and prior to version 1.73.5, an unauthenticated attacker can set `rc.NoAuth=true`, which disables the authorization gate for many RC methods registered with `AuthRequired: true` on reachable RC servers that are started without global HTTP authentication. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functionality, including configuration and operational RC methods. Version 1.73.5 patches the issue.

Weakness: CWE-15 (External Control of System or Configuration Setting), CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-41176?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/rclone/rclone and rclone. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/rclone/rclone` | Go | All versions | 1.73.5 |
| `github.com/rclone/rclone` | Go | From 1.45.0 | 1.73.5 |
| `github.com/rclone/rclone` | Go | From 1.45.0 | 1.73.5 |
| `rclone` | Bitnami | From 1.45.0 | 1.73.5 |

Products: Rclone Rclone.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-41176?

Upgrade github.com/rclone/rclone to 1.73.5 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-41176 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-41176 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Rclone RC - Broken Access Control (nuclei): http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-41176.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in rclone

- [CVE-2026-88018](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-88018/): rclone serve s3: --auth-proxy without --auth-key authenticates nobody - full SigV4 signature bypass (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-49980](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-49980/): Rclone: Unauthenticated command execution in `rclone rcd --rc-serve` via inline remote instantiation, bypassing CVE-2026-41179 fix (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-41179](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41179/): RClone: Unauthenticated operations/fsinfo allows attacker-controlled backend instantiation and local command execution (critical 9.2)
- [CVE-2026-59733](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-59733/): rclone `serve restic --private-repos` authorization bypass: `..` in the URL path lets an authenticated user read, overwrite and delete other users' repositories (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-116191](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-116191/): Rclone before 1.75.2 Path Traversal via serve webdav MKCOL (high 8.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-41176 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-41176 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in rclone, published on 22 Apr 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-41176 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/rclone/rclone (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.73.5
- github.com/rclone/rclone (Go): affected from 1.45.0; fixed in 1.73.5
- github.com/rclone/rclone (Go): affected from 1.45.0; fixed in 1.73.5
- rclone (Bitnami): affected from 1.45.0; fixed in 1.73.5

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41176/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41176/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-41176
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-41176
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-41176

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41176/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.