# CVE-2026-88046: rclone: source object names can escape the configured root on upload

> Attackers can escape configured root directories during uploads by exploiting path traversal in source object names, potentially accessing unauthorized storage locations.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A: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:** 10 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 15 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** BIT-rclone-2026-88046, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-88046, GHSA-38xv-hf3p-h7mq, GO-2026-6457, MINI-29rc-x28q-hx9p, MINI-74xq-mpr5-7pp9, MINI-9hv2-wmgv-v9vh, MINI-9rv2-q746-6x69, MINI-f9q6-57v2-mr3p, MINI-qwx5-c34j-cjq3, MINI-wjwf-x9gr-9xvc, MINI-xgww-cmgj-7grp, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-88046

## What is CVE-2026-88046?

CVE-2026-88046 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in rclone, published on 10 Sep 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

rclone is a command-line program to sync files and directories to and from different cloud storage providers. Prior to 1.75.1, rclone core does not reject parent-directory segments in source Object.Remote() values before fs/list, fs/walk, fs/sync, and fs/operations pass those values to destination backends. A flat-keyspace source object store populated with native non-rclone tooling can contain a raw .. key segment, and affected b2, swift, qingstor, oracleobjectstorage, internetarchive, smb, storj, sftp, webdav, ftp, filelu, shade, and sia destinations use path.Join(root, remote) before EncodeDot can neutralize the segment. A copy or upload can therefore escape the configured root into another bucket, share, or path reachable by the victim credential, with sftp and smb potentially reaching other filesystem or share locations under the same login authority. This issue is fixed in version 1.75.1.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-88046?

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 | 1.75.1 |
| `github.com/rclone/rclone` | Go | All versions | 1.75.1 |
| `github.com/rclone/rclone` | Go | All versions | 1.75.1 |
| `rclone` | Bitnami | All versions | 1.75.1 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-88046?

Upgrade github.com/rclone/rclone to 1.75.1 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-88046 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-88046 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-88046 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-88046 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in rclone, published on 10 Sep 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-2026-88046 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/rclone/rclone (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.75.1
- github.com/rclone/rclone (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.75.1
- github.com/rclone/rclone (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.75.1
- rclone (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 1.75.1

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-2026-88046/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-88046/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-88046
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-88046
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-88046

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-88046/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.