What is CVE-2024-12087?A high-severity flaw in Rsync, explained.
CVE-2024-12087 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) in Rsync from Samba, published on 14 January 2025. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 2.3%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.
Published 14 January 2025. Record last updated 3 November 2025. We keep this page's data up to date.
What is CVE-2024-12087? In plain terms.
It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can change data.
A path traversal vulnerability exists in rsync. It stems from behavior enabled by the `--inc-recursive` option, a default-enabled option for many client options and can be enabled by the server even if not explicitly enabled by the client. When using the `--inc-recursive` option, a lack of proper symlink verification coupled with deduplication checks occurring on a per-file-list basis could allow a server to write files outside of the client's intended destination directory. A malicious server could write malicious files to arbitrary locations named after valid directories/paths on the client.
What kind of flaw is it?
- CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
How an attack on it works
Read straight from its severity rating, translated out of the shorthand.
- Where an attacker can beAnywhere on the internet
- How hard it is to pull offEasy: no special conditions
- Login needed firstNo login needed
- Does someone have to clickNo, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker getsCan change data
Severity vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Is CVE-2024-12087 being exploited? Not that we know of.
It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 2.3%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.
Timeline
- Published
- Record last updated
CVE-2024-12087 scores 53. Action: Plan remediation.
We keep the score of every published flaw up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, and evidence that criminals are actually using it counts most. In order:
- Evidence it is being exploitedBiggest factor
- How severe it isStrong factor
- How widely exposed it isSmaller factor
- Threat activity around itSmaller factor
85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score.
When CVE-2024-12087 matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.
See your own ranked list →Who is affected by CVE-2024-12087? 18 products.
The published record lists 18 products from 8 vendors. Versions are shown as published: "before 24.11" means every version up to, but not including, 24.11. If you run one of these, check your version, then go to the fix below.
- Application
Rsync
by Samba
Affected versionsup to 3.3.0 - Operating system
Almalinux
by Almalinux
Affected versions8.09.010.0 - Operating system
Enterprise Linux
by Red Hat
Affected versions8.09.0 - Operating system
Enterprise Linux for Arm 64
by Red Hat
Affected versions8.0_aarch649.0_aarch64 - Operating system
Enterprise Linux for Ibm Z Systems
by Red Hat
Affected versions8.0_s390x9.0_s390x - Operating system
Enterprise Linux for Power Little Endian
by Red Hat
Affected versions8.0_ppc64le9.0_ppc64le - Operating system
Arch Linux
by Archlinux
Affected versionsversion not specified - Operating system
Enterprise Linux Eus
by Red Hat
Affected versions9.6 - Operating system
Enterprise Linux for Arm 64 Eus
by Red Hat
Affected versions9.6_aarch64
How do I fix CVE-2024-12087? Four steps.
- Check whether you run itCompare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
- Apply the vendor’s fixInstall the latest update from the vendor. The references list where the vendor has published details.
- If you can’t patch todayFollow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
- Keep an eye on itTrack the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.
Does CVE-2024-12087 affect you? We'll keep checking.
Looking flaws up one at a time doesn't scale. Tell us what you run once, and we tell you which flaws matter to you, in what order, and keep watching for new ones.
- Tell us what you runPick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
- We match it to every flawOver 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
- Ranked by real-world riskA 0 to 100 score, led by evidence criminals are using it.
- Told as soon as we knowAn alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.
Free plan, no card needed. Nothing to install.
1 new flaw affects software Acme tracks
A path traversal vulnerability exists in rsync. It stems from behavior enabled by the `--inc-recursive` option, a default-enabled option for many client opti...
- Matched to
- Rsync on Acme's software list
- What to do
- Plan in the vendor’s update
Sent to the alert recipients Acme chose. Also in the app and to Acme's webhook.
CVE-2024-12087 is a high-severity flaw in Rsync from Samba, published on 14 January 2025. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can change data.
It scores 7.5 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2024-12087 is 53 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.
It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 2.3%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.
For Rsync from Samba: up to 3.3.0. The record lists 18 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.
Install the update the vendor names in its advisory. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.