Overview
Google Cloud researchers have uncovered six critical security vulnerabilities in the widely-used Rsync file synchronization tool, including a newly patched version 3.4.0 addressing these issues. The most severe flaw, CVE-2024-12084, carries a CVSS score of 9.8 and enables remote code execution
Whom it may concern
- System administrators managing Unix systems
- DevOps teams using Rsync for file synchronization
- Security teams responsible for patch management
- Cloud infrastructure managers
Key Findings
- Critical heap-buffer overflow vulnerability (CVE-2024-12084) enables arbitrary code execution
- Multiple authentication bypass mitigations available through compiler flags
- Information disclosure risks through uninitialized stack contents
- Path traversal vulnerabilities affecting safe-links option
Risk Analysis
- Probability: High - requires only anonymous read access
- Impact: Critical - enables arbitrary code execution
- Attack Vector: Network accessible
- Affected Systems: All Rsync versions prior to 3.4.0
Action Items
- Upgrade to Rsync version 3.4.0 immediately
- Apply recommended compiler flags if unable to update
- Audit Rsync server configurations for exposed services
- Implement strict access controls on Rsync servers
Sources
- [The Hacker News](https://thehackernews.com/2025/01/google-cloud-researchers-uncover-flaws.html)
