Rsync is widely deployed for backups and sync; remote arbitrary command execution across servers can lead to full compromise and major operational disruption.
CVE-2026-53790
Command injection in rsync <3.5.0 allows remote arbitrary command execution.
Is CVE-2026-53790 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-53790 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.52% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-53790?
CVE-2026-53790 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 9.2. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-53790?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-53790. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-53790 affect?
CVE-2026-53790 affects rsync < 3.5.0, rsync daemon, rsync-ssl wrapper, clients invoking remote-shell (ssh/rsh) with rsync. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-53790?
Upgrade to rsync 3.5.0+ and remove/validate untrusted RSYNC_CONNECT_PROG and inputs
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Arbitrary command execution as the rsync process or invoking user via injected shell metacharacters/newlines in RSYNC_CONNECT_PROG, daemon hooks, rsync-ssl, or remote-shell inputs.
Immediate action required
- affected<= 3.4.4
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.