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DiscoveryApplication · Redhat

CVE-2024-12088

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-01-14
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
84/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
A flaw was found in rsync. When using the `--safe-links` option, the rsync client fails to properly verify if a symbolic link destination sent from the server contains another symbolic link within it. This results in a path traversal vulnerability, which may lead to arbitrary file write outside the desired directory.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

A path traversal vulnerability exists in rsync when using the `--safe-links` option. The client fails to properly verify if a symbolic link destination sent from the server contains another symbolic link within it, potentially allowing arbitrary file writes outside the intended directory.

MitigationDisable the `--safe-links` option until a patched version of rsync is available, or ensure rsync is only used with trusted servers. Monitor for unauthorized file writes as a detection mechanism.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
DiscoveryApplication
Affected:= 1.14
Openshift Container PlatformApplication
Affected:= 4.0
Enterprise LinuxOperating system
Affected:= 6.0= 7.0= 8.0= 9.0= 10.0
Enterprise Linux EusOperating system
Affected:= 9.6
Enterprise Linux For Arm 64Operating system
Affected:= 8.0_aarch64= 9.0_aarch64
Enterprise Linux For Arm 64 EusOperating system
Affected:= 9.6_aarch64
Enterprise Linux For Ibm Z SystemsOperating system
Affected:= 8.0_s390x= 9.0_s390x
Enterprise Linux For Ibm Z Systems EusOperating system
Affected:= 9.6_s390x

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
None

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

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify installed rsync version
    Run `rsync --version` and note the version number
    Affected if The installed rsync version matches or falls within the affected Redhat version ranges listed in the CVE (verify against vendor advisory for exact vulnerable versions)
  2. Locate rsync configurations using --safe-links
    Search for --safe-links in /etc/rsync*, /etc/*sync*, ~/.config/rsync*, and any scripts under /etc/cron* or /usr/local/bin/ using: `grep -r '\-\-safe-links' /etc/ /home/ /usr/local/bin/ 2>/dev/null`
    Affected if Any rsync command, script, or configuration file contains the --safe-links option
  3. Review active rsync cron jobs and systemd timers
    List cron entries with `crontab -l` and `ls -la /etc/cron.d/`, and check systemd timers with `systemctl list-timers --all | grep -i sync`
    Affected if Any scheduled rsync job invokes the --safe-links option
  4. Audit recent rsync execution logs
    Check system logs (/var/log/messages, /var/log/syslog) and any application-specific rsync logs for recent connections that used --safe-links
    Affected if Recent rsync executions show the --safe-links flag was used

Your environment is affected if rsync is installed with a vulnerable version AND any rsync command, script, cron job, or configuration actively uses the --safe-links option to sync from a remote server.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Disable the `--safe-links` option until a patched version of rsync is available, or ensure rsync is only used with trusted servers. Monitor for unauthorized file writes as a detection mechanism.

Fix this in Discovery Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
22.0 hours of engineering $3,860
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-12088 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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