# CVE-2026-53795: rsync < 3.5.0 Arbitrary File Write via --temp-dir/--link-dest

> Attackers can write files to arbitrary locations outside the destination tree by exploiting path traversal in rsync's temp-dir or link-dest options.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2026-53795, AZL-95774, BELL-CVE-2026-53795, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-53795, ECHO-3711-8d22-1254, GHSA-m9vj-637x-v6pq, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-53795, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-53795

## What is CVE-2026-53795?

CVE-2026-53795 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 arbitrary file write vulnerability that allows attackers to write files outside the intended destination tree by specifying an absolute path via --temp-dir or --link-dest options. The rename-confinement logic is bypassed when these options resolve to paths outside the destination tree, enabling attacker-controlled values to write files to arbitrary locations accessible to the rsync process.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53795?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Samba Rsync.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-53795?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-53795 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53795 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-2026-53795 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-53795 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-2026-53795 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-2026-53795/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53795/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-53795
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53795
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53795

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53795/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.