# CVE-2026-53789: rsync < 3.5.0 Arbitrary File Deletion via Malicious File List

> A malicious sender can delete files outside the authorized destination directory in rsync by exploiting improper path handling in file list processing.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 15 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2026-53789, AZL-95762, BELL-CVE-2026-53789, CLSA-2026-1788520884, CLSA-2026-1788531150, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-53789, ECHO-142c-4c54-efc6, GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-53789

## What is CVE-2026-53789?

CVE-2026-53789 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in RsyncProject rsync, published on 13 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official 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.

Weakness: CWE-807 (Reliance on Untrusted Inputs in a Security Decision)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53789?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Samba Rsync.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-53789?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-53789 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53789 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in RsyncProject rsync

- [CVE-2017-15994](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15994/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-53791](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53791/): rsync < 3.5.0 Daemon IP Spoofing via PROXY Protocol Header (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-70461](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-70461/): rsync 3.2.5 < 3.5.0 Heap Out-of-Bounds Write via files-from Entry (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-70455](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-70455/): rsync 3.4.2 < 3.5.0 DoS via --zt Zstandard Compression Thread Exhaustion (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2026-70463](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-70463/): rsync 3.1.0 < 3.5.0 Authorization Bypass via auth users Directive Parsing (high 8.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-53789 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-53789 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in RsyncProject rsync, published on 13 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53789 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: RsyncProject rsync. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2026-53789/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53789/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-53789
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53789
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53789

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53789/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.