CVE-2026-88016
rclone: Directory metadata (chmod/chown/chtimes) applied through a planted symlink in rclone local --links escapes the destination
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- GitHub_M
Description
rclone is a command-line program to sync files and directories to and from different cloud storage providers. Prior to 1.75.1, when backend/local runs with --links, a source .rclonelink object can plant a symlink in the destination and later directory metadata is applied through that path. MkdirMetadata, writeMetadataToFile, and setTimes operate when Directory.translatedLink=false, so os.Chown, os.Chmod, os.Chtimes, and birth-time handling can bypass os.Root confinement and follow the symlink. An attacker controlling source contents can therefore apply selected ownership, permissions, modification times, or birth times to a file or directory outside the destination, with --metadata required for chmod and chown while modification time is applied by the normal directory workflow. This issue is fixed in version 1.75.1.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub_MCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | High7.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:L |
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | High7.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:L |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.19% · top 92% of all CVEs (6 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: poc · Automatable: no · Technical impact: partial
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 7.1.
Weakness
Affected products
Affected packages
From reviewed advisories of the GitHub Advisory Database.
- Gogithub.com/rclone/rcloneGHSA-f8g7-2xjc-7mfh (opens in a new tab)
References (4)
- https://github.com/rclone/rclone/security/advisories/GHSA-f8g7-2xjc-7mfh (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMexploit
- https://github.com/rclone/rclone/commit/17b0c03338a857bcb0a68d2d4c82ddbdec3f7893 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/rclone/rclone/commit/a7ab39d3d1958afa1446982c1dc4e4a73a887e3e (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/rclone/rclone/releases/tag/v1.75.1 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISC
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-f8g7-2xjc-7mfh (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2026-88016)Record last updated .