# CVE-2026-70461: rsync 3.2.5 < 3.5.0 Heap Out-of-Bounds Write via files-from Entry

> Remote attackers can trigger a heap out-of-bounds write in rsync daemon via crafted files-from entries, potentially leading to code execution or service disruption.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/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:** 13 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2026-70461, AZL-95765, BELL-CVE-2026-70461, CLSA-2026-1792411866, CLSA-2026-1792425174, CLSA-2026-1792425300, CLSA-2026-1792580766, CLSA-2026-1792581690, CLSA-2026-1792582985, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-70461, ECHO-8386-f738-fade, GHSA-jhxm-j4mq-3fj4, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-70461, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-70461

## What is CVE-2026-70461?

CVE-2026-70461 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in RsyncProject rsync, published on 13 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

rsync 3.2.5 before 3.5.0 contains a heap out-of-bounds write vulnerability that allows remote unauthenticated attackers to write one attacker-controlled byte past the end of a heap allocation by supplying a crafted files-from entry. Attackers can trigger the vulnerability against a read-only rsync daemon module by providing a files-from entry containing both an interior and trailing backslash, causing the add_implied_include() function to under-count the trailing backslash when sizing the destination buffer.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-70461?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Samba Rsync.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-70461?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-70461 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-70461 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-2026-70455](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)
- [CVE-2026-53803](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53803/): rsync < 3.5.0 Symlink Following Arbitrary File Overwrite (high 8.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-70461 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-70461 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in RsyncProject rsync, published on 13 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-70461 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-2026-70461/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-70461/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-70461
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-70461
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-70461

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-70461/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.