Security Digest · Vulnerability record
CVE-2024-12084: Rsync: heap buffer overflow in rsync due to improper checksum length handling
A heap-based buffer overflow flaw was found in the rsync daemon.
CVSS 9.8 Critical EPSS 72.1% · p99 Check exposure
Should you act?
High exploit likelihood
EPSS ranks it in the top 5% of all CVEs for likely exploitation in the next 30 days. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.
- Not in CISA KEV, but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
- EPSS 72.1%, percentile 99: FIRST’s model estimates a 72.1% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 99% of all scored CVEs (very high). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Editorial verdict: Check exposure. rsync: Six Flaws Incl. Daemon Heap Overflow (CVE-2024-12084) — Distros shipped fixes in January 2025 and there is no known exploitation, but internet-facing rsync daemons have since needed two more security releases, so verify you run a current rsync rather than just 3.4.0.
What it is
A heap-based buffer overflow flaw was found in the rsync daemon. This issue is due to improper handling of attacker-controlled checksum lengths (s2length) in the code. When MAXDIGESTLEN exceeds the fixed SUMLENGTH (16 bytes), an attacker can write out of bounds in the sum2 buffer.
Weakness type: CWE-122.
Product: rsync · Assigned by: redhat · Published: 2025-01-15
Affected and fixed versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions (per CVE record) |
|---|---|---|
| rsync | 3.2.7, 3.3.0 | |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | see vendor advisory |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | see vendor advisory |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | see vendor advisory |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | see vendor advisory |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | see vendor advisory |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | see vendor advisory |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | see vendor advisory |
Severity scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| redhat | 3.1 | 9.8 Critical | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
- Attack complexity: low
- Privileges required: none (no login)
- User interaction: none
- Scope: unchanged
CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.
Exploitation and urgency
- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc, automatable yes, technical impact total.
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 72.06% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 99.
Timeline
- — erroneo.us brief: rsync: Six Flaws Incl. Daemon Heap Overflow (CVE-2024-12084)
- — CVE record published by redhat
- — CVE record last updated
Sources and references
Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.
Vendor and project advisories, patches
- RHBA-2025:6470 access.redhat.com
Vulnerability records
- CVE.org record CVE-2024-12084 cve.org
- NVD entry CVE-2024-12084 nvd.nist.gov
Other references from the CVE record and advisory
- access.redhat.com access.redhat.com
- RHBZ#2330527 bugzilla.redhat.com
- kb.cert.org kb.cert.org
- github.com github.com
- openwall.com openwall.com
- security.netapp.com security.netapp.com
- kb.cert.org kb.cert.org