The vulnerability arises when rclone prior to version 1.74.4 processes source‑supplied mode metadata without clearing special permission bits in the local backend, allowing an attacker who can supply such metadata to set the setuid or setgid bits on files created by the tool. This can be achieved during a copy from an untrusted remote where metadata preservation is enabled; if rclone runs as root, the attacker can plant a setuid binary that executes with root privileges, giving full system control. If the process runs under a less powerful service account, the injected setuid bit still grants the attacker elevated rights relative to that account, potentially compromising the application or service environment.

Affected user: rclone installation, any version earlier than 1.74.4, regardless of operating system. The issue is documented in the rclone rclone product, and any deployment that uses untrusted remote copies in a privileged context is at risk.

The CVSS score of 2.0 indicates low base severity, but the actual risk depends on the execution context. The EPSS score is reported as <1% (0.0014), indicating a very low but nonzero exploitation probability, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, suggesting limited exploitation to date. The attacker would need the ability to provide metadata when initiating an rclone transfer, typically by controlling the source remote or by crafting a malicious remote file. Additionally, rclone must be running with additional privileges (root or a privileged service account) for the setuid bit to grant elevated rights. In environments where rclone runs as a non‑privileged user or where metadata preservation is disabled, the exploit would not succeed.