CVE-2026-88016: rclone — Fix

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.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:L

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0019

Probability of exploitation

0.09%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-59 CWE-59

CWE-281 CWE-281

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
rclone	rclone	< 1.75.1

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/rclone/rclone/commit/17b0c03338a857bcb0a68d2d4c82ddbdec3f7893 https://github.com/rclone/rclone/commit/a7ab39d3d1958afa1446982c1dc4e4a73a887e3e https://github.com/rclone/rclone/security/advisories/GHSA-f8g7-2xjc-7mfh https://github.com/rclone/rclone/security/advisories/GHSA-f8g7-2xjc-7mfh

Other References

https://github.com/rclone/rclone/releases/tag/v1.75.1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-88016? +

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. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-88016? +

CVE-2026-88016 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.1 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0019, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-88016? +

CVE-2026-88016 affects products from rclone, specifically: rclone. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-88016? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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