Rclone 1.46.0-1.74.3: Unauthenticated GET/HEAD RCE via rcd
CVE-2026-49980 Published on June 24, 2026
Rclone: Unauthenticated command execution in `rclone rcd --rc-serve` via inline remote instantiation, bypassing CVE-2026-41179 fix
Rclone is a command-line program to sync files and directories to and from different cloud storage providers. From 1.46.0 until 1.74.3, rclone rcd --rc-serve accepts unauthenticated GET and HEAD requests to paths of the form: /[remote:path]/object. The remote value is parsed from the URL and passed to normal backend initialization. Inline remote configuration can set backend options that execute local commands during initialization. As a result, a single unauthenticated GET or HEAD request can execute a command as the rclone process user. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.74.3.
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-49980 is exploitable with network access, and does not require authorization privileges or user interaction. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to be critical as this vulnerability has a high impact to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of this component.
Weakness Types
Missing Authentication for Critical Function
The software does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources.
What is a Shell injection Vulnerability?
The software constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.
CVE-2026-49980 has been classified to as a Shell injection vulnerability or weakness.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-49980
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Affected Versions
rclone:- Version >= 1.46.0, < 1.74.3 is affected.