# CVE-2026-71309: rclone: Incomplete path validation allows backend root escape in serve restic

> An attacker can escape the configured root directory in rclone serve restic to read, modify, or delete files outside the intended scope.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BIT-rclone-2026-71309, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-71309, GHSA-45pq-889g-fcgh, GO-2026-6184, MINI-3hj9-rc4q-jw39, MINI-49cg-mmww-p4gx, MINI-c4xp-r7g6-jgwf, MINI-c9gc-j54f-85cp, MINI-crg7-ppjm-36gp, MINI-f7cw-x8vc-5x83, MINI-mp9x-crvr-56hf, MINI-w3hj-gv4g-v36x, ROOT-APP-GOBINARY-CVE-2026-71309, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-71309

## What is CVE-2026-71309?

CVE-2026-71309 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in rclone, published on 5 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, 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. From 1.40.0 until 1.75.0, rclone serve restic does not correctly reject URL paths beginning with ../ in cmd/serve/restic/restic.go WithRemote, which accepts a leading parent path and passes it to GET, HEAD, POST, and DELETE handlers for configured backends including WebDAV, FTP, HTTP, Memory, and SFTP. An attacker who can access the REST endpoint may read, create, overwrite, or delete objects outside the path configured by the operator when the operator publishes a backend subdirectory and the backend credential can access parent or sibling objects. This issue is fixed in 1.75.0.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-71309?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/rclone/rclone` | Go | All versions | 1.75.0 |
| `github.com/rclone/rclone` | Go | From 1.40.0 | 1.75.0 |
| `github.com/rclone/rclone` | Go | From 1.40.0 | 1.75.0 |
| `rclone` | Bitnami | From 1.40.0 | 1.75.0 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-71309?

Upgrade github.com/rclone/rclone to 1.75.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-71309 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-71309 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-71309 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-71309 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in rclone, published on 5 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-71309 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/rclone/rclone (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.75.0
- github.com/rclone/rclone (Go): affected from 1.40.0; fixed in 1.75.0
- github.com/rclone/rclone (Go): affected from 1.40.0; fixed in 1.75.0
- rclone (Bitnami): affected from 1.40.0; fixed in 1.75.0

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-2026-71309/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-71309/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-71309
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-71309
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-71309

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-71309/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.