CVE-2026-88016 HIGH

CVE-2026-88016: rclone: Directory metadata (chmod/chown/chtimes) applied through a planted symlink in rclone local --links escapes the destination

Vendor Rclone
Product rclone
Weakness CWE-59
Published September 10, 2026
Last update September 10, 2026

CVSS base score

7.1/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity High
Privileges required Low
User interaction Required
Confidentiality Low
Integrity High

CVSS vector

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

What the vulnerability does

01Description

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.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

September 10, 2026 CVE published