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NVD / CVE Program· CNA mitre

CVE-2017-16548: The receive_xattr function in xattrs.c in rsync 3.1.2 and 3.1.3-development does not check for a trailing '\0' character in an xattr name…

CriticalCVSS 9.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Plan (action score 41/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 5.7% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 93.1% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: rsync (Alpine:v3.10) 3.1.2-r7; rsync (Alpine:v3.4) 3.1.2-r3; rsync (Alpine:v3.6) 3.1.2-r6.

Add it to your regular patch cycle. Upgrade to rsync (Alpine:v3.10) 3.1.2-r7; rsync (Alpine:v3.4) 3.1.2-r3; rsync (Alpine:v3.6) 3.1.2-r6 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

The receive_xattr function in xattrs.c in rsync 3.1.2 and 3.1.3-development does not check for a trailing '\0' character in an xattr name, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer over-read and application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact by sending crafted data to the daemon.

Published
Nov 6, 2017
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
5.7% · 93th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

41

Plan

Add it to your regular patch cycle.

CVSS
39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
2 / 30 · 5.7%

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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When you'll hear from us

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
sambarsync
canonicalubuntu linux
debiandebian linux

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • canonical ubuntu linux12.04
  • canonical ubuntu linux14.04
  • canonical ubuntu linux16.04
  • canonical ubuntu linux17.10
  • debian debian linux7.0
  • debian debian linux8.0
  • debian debian linux9.0
  • samba rsyncafter 2.6.9 · up to 3.1.2 inclusive

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Alpine:v3.10rsyncbefore 3.1.2-r73.1.2-r7
Alpine:v3.4rsyncbefore 3.1.2-r33.1.2-r3
Alpine:v3.6rsyncbefore 3.1.2-r63.1.2-r6
Debian:12rsyncbefore 3.1.2-2.13.1.2-2.1
Debian:7rsyncbefore 3.0.9-4+deb7u13.0.9-4+deb7u1
Debian:8rsyncbefore 3.1.1-3+deb8u13.1.1-3+deb8u1
Debian:9rsyncbefore 3.1.2-1+deb9u13.1.2-1+deb9u1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedrsyncbefore 3.2.3-2.63.2.3-2.6
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP2rsyncbefore 3.1.0-13.7.13.1.0-13.7.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4rsyncbefore 3.0.4-2.53.3.13.0.4-2.53.3.1

Same product

samba: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2024-12084Rsync: heap buffer overflow in rsync due to improper checksum length handling
    61This week
  • CVE-2017-17434The daemon in rsync 3.1.2, and 3.1.3-development before 2017-12-03, does not check for fnamecmp filenames in the daemon_filter_list data…
    40Plan
  • CVE-2017-15994rsync 3.1.3-development before 2017-10-24 mishandles archaic checksums, which makes it easier for remote attackers to bypass intended…
    39Monitor

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2014-2855Apr 23, 2014 · The check_secret function in authenticate.c in rsync 3.1.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop…
    32Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2014-9512Feb 12, 2015 · rsync 3.1.1 allows remote attackers to write to arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a file in the synchronization path.
    27Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2018-5764Jan 17, 2018 · The parse_arguments function in options.c in rsyncd in rsync before 3.1.3 does not prevent multiple --protect-args uses, which allows…
    32Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
alpine:rsync3.1.2-r7 · Alpine:v3.10Package registry (OSV)
debian:rsync3.1.2-2.1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:rsync3.2.3-2.6 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
suse:rsync3.0.4-2.53.3.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-125 · Out-of-bounds Read

CVSS vector

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

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

ATT&CK techniques

—

References

Show all references (5 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records