Security Digest · Vulnerability record
CVE-2026-41176: Rclone: Unauthenticated options/set allows runtime auth bypass, leading to sensitive operations and command execution
Rclone is a command-line program to sync files and directories to and from different cloud storage providers.
CVSS 9.2 Critical EPSS 3.2% · p88
Should you act?
Critical and remotely reachable
No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. 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 3.2%, percentile 88: FIRST’s model estimates a 3.2% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 88% of all scored CVEs (elevated). 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.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes
github.com/rclone/rclone(Go) >= 1.45.0, < 1.73.5, fixed in 1.73.5. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.
What it is
Rclone is a command-line program to sync files and directories to and from different cloud storage providers. The RC endpoint options/set is exposed without AuthRequired: true, but it can mutate global runtime configuration, including the RC option block itself. Starting in version 1.45.0 and prior to version 1.73.5, an unauthenticated attacker can set rc.NoAuth=true, which disables the authorization gate for many RC methods registered with AuthRequired: true on reachable RC servers that are started without global HTTP authentication. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functionality, including configuration and operational RC methods. Version 1.73.5 patches the issue.
From the GitHub advisory
Summary The RC endpoint options/set is exposed without AuthRequired: true, but it can mutate global runtime configuration, including the RC option block itself. An unauthenticated attacker can set rc.NoAuth=true, which disables the authorization gate for many RC methods registered with AuthRequired: true on reachable RC servers that are started without global HTTP authentication. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functionality, including configuration and operational RC methods.
Preconditions
Preconditions for this vulnerability are:
- The rclone remote control API must be enabled, either by the --rc flag or by running the rclone rcd server - The remote control API must be reachable by the attacker - by default rclone only serves the rc to localhost unless the --rc-addr flag is in use - The rc must have been deployed without global RC HTTP authentication - so not using --rc-user/--rc-pass/--rc-htpasswd/etc
Details The root cause is present from v1.45 onward. Some higher-impact exploitation paths became available in later releases as additional RC functionality was introduced.
Weakness type: CWE-306, CWE-15.
Product: github.com/rclone/rclone (Go) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-04-22
Affected and fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable | First fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | github.com/rclone/rclone | >= 1.45.0, < 1.73.5 | 1.73.5 |
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions (per CVE record) |
|---|---|---|
| rclone | rclone | >= 1.45.0, < 1.73.5 |
Severity scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub_M | 4.0 | 9.2 Critical | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
| redhat-SADP | 3.1 | 9.8 Critical | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| GitHub | 4.0 | 9.2 | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
- Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
- Attack complexity: low
- Attack requirements: present (depends on deployment conditions)
- Privileges required: none (no login)
- User interaction: none
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): 3.22% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 88.
Timeline
- — CVE record published by GitHub_M
- — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-25qr-6mpr-f7qx published (critical)
- — CVE record last updated
Sources and references
Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.
Vulnerability records
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-25qr-6mpr-f7qx github.com
- CVE.org record CVE-2026-41176 cve.org
- NVD entry CVE-2026-41176 nvd.nist.gov
Other references from the CVE record and advisory
- github.com github.com
- github.com github.com
- github.com github.com
- access.redhat.com access.redhat.com
- RHBZ#2460989 bugzilla.redhat.com
- security.access.redhat.com security.access.redhat.com