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Mallory
HighPublic exploit

Path Traversal in rsync --inc-recursive Client File Handling

IdentifiersCVE-2024-12087CWE-22· Improper Limitation of a Pathname…

CVE-2024-12087 is a path traversal vulnerability in rsync affecting versions 3.3.0 and earlier, and more specifically described in the provided content as affecting versions >= 3.2.7 and < 3.4.0. The issue is triggered when rsync operates with the --inc-recursive option, which is enabled by default for many client operations and can also be enabled by a server even if the client did not explicitly request it. Due to insufficient symlink verification combined with deduplication checks performed on a per-file-list basis, a malicious rsync server can cause the client to create unsafe symlinks or write files outside the client’s intended destination directory. In practice, this allows attacker-controlled path elements to escape the expected synchronization target and place files at arbitrary client-side locations corresponding to valid directories or paths on the client system.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation allows a malicious rsync server to traverse outside the intended destination directory on the client side and place attacker-controlled files in arbitrary filesystem locations reachable by the rsync client process. This can compromise integrity of client systems, enable unauthorized file creation or overwrite in unintended paths, and potentially facilitate follow-on attacks such as persistence or execution if written files land in sensitive locations. The content characterizes this as a client-side issue that can create unsafe symlinks and perform path traversal/file write behavior.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

If immediate patching is not possible, avoid synchronizing from untrusted or unauthenticated rsync servers, since exploitation requires a malicious server response. Restrict use of rsync to trusted peers and trusted datasets, and where feasible limit network exposure to rsync services, including restricting TCP port 873. Additional operational mitigation includes running rsync with minimal privileges and avoiding workflows that permit untrusted servers to influence client-side file placement.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Upgrade rsync to a fixed release. The provided content states that the rsync project released fixes for CVE-2024-12087 and recommends updating affected software according to vendor guidance. One source in the content advises upgrading to rsync 3.4.0 to remediate the announced CVEs, while Linux distribution users should install patched packages supplied by their distribution maintainers.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No public exploits tracked yet. Mallory keeps watching.

VALID 0 / 0 TOTALView more in app

No public exploit code observed for this vulnerability.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType
AlmalinuxAlmalinuxoperating_system
ArchlinuxArch Linuxoperating_system
GentooLinuxoperating_system
HPE Aruba NetworkingManagement Software (Airwave)application
NixosNixosoperating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linuxoperating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linux Eusoperating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linux For Arm 64operating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linux For Arm 64 Eusoperating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linux For Ibm Z Systemsoperating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linux For Ibm Z Systems Eusoperating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linux For Power Little Endianoperating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linux For Power Little Endian Eusoperating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linux Server Ausoperating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linux Server For Power Little Endian Update Services For Sap Solutionsoperating_system
Red HatEnterprise Linux Update Services For Sap Solutionsoperating_system
SambaRsyncapplication
SuseSuse Linuxoperating_system
TritondatacenterSmartosoperating_system

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

What this page doesn’t show

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Threat actor evidence

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Associated malware

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Detection signatures

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Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity5

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