Summary
rclone local --metadata applies attacker-controlled mode/uid - setuid binary planted from an untrusted remote
Impact
A victim performing a metadata-preserving copy/restore (-M) from an untrusted or compromised remote installs an attacker-chosen executable with the setuid/setgid bit set. Run as root (system backup/restore, the common case for --metadata), this is a root-owned setuid root backdoor executable by any local user → local privilege escalation to root. Run as a non-root user, it is a setuid backdoor for that service account. The companion uid/gid application lets a root-run transfer also reassign ownership of written files arbitrarily.
A file, directory, or other resource is assigned permissions that allow broader access than intended. Typical impact: unauthorized read, modification, or execution of the resource.
GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW has a CVSS score of 3.6 (Low). The vector is requires local access, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.74.4); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Mask special bits before applying mode from metadata, os.Chmod(o.path, os.FileMode(umode).Perm()) (or umode & 0o777), and do not honor setuid/setgid/sticky from source metadata; gate uid/gid/setuid application behind an explicit opt-in (e.g. --local-metadata-set-ownership) that is off by default, and document that -M from untrusted remotes must not restore privileged bits. Regression test: copying an object with mode=40000755/uid=0 must produce a non-setuid, caller-owned file unless the opt-in is set.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW? GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW is a low-severity incorrect permission assignment for critical resource vulnerability in github.com/rclone/rclone (go), affecting versions <= 1.74.3. It is fixed in 1.74.4. A file, directory, or other resource is assigned permissions that allow broader access than intended.
- How severe is GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW? GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW has a CVSS score of 3.6 (Low). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of github.com/rclone/rclone are affected by GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW? github.com/rclone/rclone (go) versions <= 1.74.3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW? Yes. GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW is fixed in 1.74.4. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix GHSA-945V-V9P3-V5XW? Upgrade
github.com/rclone/rcloneto 1.74.4 or later.