GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q — RsyncProject
GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q is a CWE-807 vulnerability. A fix is available — see the affected versions and patch details below.
rsync < 3.5.0 Arbitrary File Deletion via Malicious File List
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
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.
Detection & mitigation playbook
VulnerabilityDetect
Identify every host running the affected component and compare the installed build against the fixed version below — for source-built or distro-packaged software the version string, not a lockfile, is the source of truth (`dpkg -l`, `rpm -q`, or the binary's own `--version`). Because exploitation targets the running service rather than your application code, O3 also flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic.
Fix
Upgrade the affected component to the fixed release for GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q, or apply your distribution's backported patch — distro builds are often patched at an older version number, so check your vendor's advisory rather than the upstream version alone.
Workarounds
Reduce reachability while you patch: restrict network access to the service to trusted sources, disable or gate the affected component where your deployment allows it, and add a WAF/IPS signature if one exists for GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q. O3's runtime protection blocks the cwe-807 flaw at execution, which holds the line on hosts you cannot patch immediately.
How O3 protects you
O3 detects and blocks GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q exploitation at runtime with eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches a post-exploitation callback and cuts the attacker's outbound channel.
Tailored to GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Moderate: This flaw in rsync allows a malicious sender to delete arbitrary files on the receiving system when the `--delete` option is used. This impact is limited to scenarios where rsync is configured to synchronize data from an untrusted source with deletion enabled, potentially leading to data loss beyond the…
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | rsync-0:3.5.0-3.el10_2 | RHSA-2026:67463 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | rsync-0:3.2.7-1.el9_8 | RHSA-2026:67462 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-fxwg-7hmf-xh5q across dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.