diff --git a/docs/content/rc.md b/docs/content/rc.md
index b4a99ffe3..59074c215 100644
--- a/docs/content/rc.md
+++ b/docs/content/rc.md
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ so you can browse to `http://127.0.0.1:5572/` or `http://127.0.0.1:5572/*`
 to see a listing of the remotes.  Objects may be requested from
 remotes using this syntax `http://127.0.0.1:5572/[remote:path]/path/to/object`
 
+Unless the rc server has authentication configured (`--rc-user`/`--rc-pass`
+or `--rc-htpasswd`) or the `--rc-no-auth` flag is set, only remotes already
+present in the config file may be served this way. Inline remotes (e.g.
+`[:webdav,url=...:]`), connection string parameters and bare local paths are
+rejected, since instantiating them from an unauthenticated request could run
+commands or read arbitrary local files.
+
 Default Off.
 
 ### --rc-serve-no-modtime
diff --git a/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver.go b/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver.go
index 0278e5089..1c21b98ee 100644
--- a/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver.go
+++ b/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/base64"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"mime"
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/cache"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/config"
+	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/fspath"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/list"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/rc"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/rc/jobs"
@@ -340,7 +342,55 @@ func (s *Server) serveRoot(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	directory.Serve(w, r)
 }
 
+// checkServeRemote returns an error if fsName must not be instantiated on the
+// file-serving (--rc-serve) path given the current authentication state.
+//
+// Instantiating a backend from request-supplied configuration can execute
+// commands during initialisation (e.g. webdav bearer_token_command, sftp ssh),
+// read arbitrary local files, or mutate process-wide config via global.*
+// options. See GHSA-qw24-gh76-8rvv.
+//
+// authenticated must be true if the request has been authenticated (HTTP auth
+// is configured on the server) or --rc-no-auth was passed to explicitly opt in
+// to running without authentication.
+func checkServeRemote(fsName string, authenticated bool) error {
+	parsed, err := fspath.Parse(fsName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid remote %q: %w", fsName, err)
+	}
+
+	// global.* connection string options mutate process-wide rclone config. Never honour these
+	// from a request-derived remote, even when the request is authenticated
+	for k := range parsed.Config {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(k, "global.") {
+			return fmt.Errorf("setting %q on a served remote is not allowed", k)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if authenticated {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// On an unauthenticated server only allow access to pre-configured named remotes. Reject
+	// inline backend definitions, connection string option overrides and bare local paths
+	switch {
+	case parsed.Name == "":
+		return errors.New("serving local paths requires authentication to be set up on the rc server or the --rc-no-auth flag")
+	case strings.HasPrefix(parsed.Name, ":"):
+		return errors.New("serving inline remotes requires authentication to be set up on the rc server or the --rc-no-auth flag")
+	case len(parsed.Config) > 0:
+		return errors.New("serving remotes with connection string parameters requires authentication to be set up on the rc server or the --rc-no-auth flag")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (s *Server) serveRemote(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, path string, fsName string) {
+	// Check we are allowed to instantiate this remote
+	authenticated := s.noAuth || s.server.UsingAuth()
+	if err := checkServeRemote(fsName, authenticated); err != nil {
+		writeError(path, nil, w, err, http.StatusForbidden)
+		return
+	}
 	f, err := cache.Get(s.ctx, fsName)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeError(path, nil, w, fmt.Errorf("failed to make Fs: %w", err), http.StatusInternalServerError)
diff --git a/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver_test.go b/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver_test.go
index 6854f7e97..d6ecab461 100644
--- a/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver_test.go
+++ b/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver_test.go
@@ -372,6 +372,111 @@ func TestRemoteServing(t *testing.T) {
 	opt := newTestOpt()
 	opt.Serve = true
 	opt.Files = testFs
+	opt.NoAuth = true
+	testServer(t, tests, &opt)
+}
+
+// checkServeRemote must reject request-derived backend instantiation on the
+// unauthenticated file-serving path, and global.* config mutation.
+func TestCheckServeRemote(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		name          string
+		fsName        string
+		authenticated bool
+		wantErr       string // substring of expected error, "" means no error
+	}{
+		// Plain named remotes are always allowed
+		{name: "named remote unauth", fsName: "remote:path", wantErr: ""},
+		{name: "named remote auth", fsName: "remote:path", authenticated: true, wantErr: ""},
+		// Inline backend definitions can run commands (webdav bearer_token_command, sftp ssh)
+		{name: "inline webdav unauth", fsName: ":webdav,url=http://localhost,bearer_token_command=id:", wantErr: "inline remotes"},
+		{name: "inline sftp unauth", fsName: ":sftp,ssh=id:", wantErr: "inline remotes"},
+		{name: "inline local unauth", fsName: ":local:/etc", wantErr: "inline remotes"},
+		{name: "inline allowed when authed", fsName: ":local:/etc", authenticated: true, wantErr: ""},
+		// Bare local paths allow arbitrary local file access
+		{name: "bare path unauth", fsName: "/etc/passwd", wantErr: "local paths"},
+		{name: "bare path allowed when authed", fsName: "/etc/passwd", authenticated: true, wantErr: ""},
+		// Connection string overrides can set command-executing options
+		{name: "connection string unauth", fsName: "remote,vendor=other:path", wantErr: "connection string"},
+		{name: "connection string allowed when authed", fsName: "remote,vendor=other:path", authenticated: true, wantErr: ""},
+		// global.* mutates process-wide config and is never allowed
+		{name: "global config unauth", fsName: "remote,global.http_proxy=x:path", wantErr: "global.http_proxy"},
+		{name: "global config blocked even when authed", fsName: "remote,global.http_proxy=x:path", authenticated: true, wantErr: "global.http_proxy"},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			err := checkServeRemote(test.fsName, test.authenticated)
+			if test.wantErr == "" {
+				assert.NoError(t, err)
+			} else {
+				require.Error(t, err)
+				assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), test.wantErr)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// On an unauthenticated server the serve path must not instantiate
+// attacker-supplied inline remotes or local paths, but must still allow
+// configured named remotes.
+func TestServeRemoteUnauthenticated(t *testing.T) {
+	forbidden := regexp.MustCompile(`"status": 403`)
+	tests := []testRun{{
+		// An inline remote could run a command during initialisation
+		Name:     "inline-remote-rejected",
+		URL:      "[:local:" + testFs + "]/file.txt",
+		Status:   http.StatusForbidden,
+		Contains: forbidden,
+	}, {
+		Name:     "bare-local-path-rejected",
+		URL:      remoteURL + "file.txt",
+		Status:   http.StatusForbidden,
+		Contains: forbidden,
+	}, {
+		// A configured (here non-existent) named remote is allowed through to
+		// the backend, which then reports it isn't in the config file
+		Name:     "named-remote-allowed-through",
+		URL:      "[notfoundremote:]/",
+		Status:   http.StatusInternalServerError,
+		Contains: regexp.MustCompile(`didn't find section in config file`),
+	}}
+	opt := newTestOpt()
+	opt.Serve = true
+	testServer(t, tests, &opt)
+}
+
+// With authentication configured the serve path may instantiate inline remotes
+// (the request is authenticated) but must still refuse to mutate process-wide
+// config via global.* options.
+func TestServeRemoteWithAuth(t *testing.T) {
+	const user, pass = "user", "pass"
+	tests := []testRun{{
+		// Authenticated requests can serve bare local paths again
+		Name:     "bare-local-path-served-when-authenticated",
+		URL:      remoteURL + "file.txt",
+		User:     user,
+		Pass:     pass,
+		Status:   http.StatusOK,
+		Expected: "this is file1.txt\n",
+	}, {
+		// global.* is blocked even for an authenticated request
+		Name:     "global-config-blocked-when-authenticated",
+		URL:      "[notfoundremote,global.http_proxy=x:]/",
+		User:     user,
+		Pass:     pass,
+		Status:   http.StatusForbidden,
+		Contains: regexp.MustCompile(`global\.http_proxy`),
+	}, {
+		// A request without credentials is rejected before reaching the handler
+		Name:     "unauthenticated-request-rejected",
+		URL:      remoteURL + "file.txt",
+		Status:   http.StatusUnauthorized,
+		Contains: regexp.MustCompile(``),
+	}}
+	opt := newTestOpt()
+	opt.Serve = true
+	opt.Files = testFs
+	opt.Auth.BasicUser = user
+	opt.Auth.BasicPass = pass
 	testServer(t, tests, &opt)
 }
 
@@ -884,6 +989,7 @@ func TestServeModTime(t *testing.T) {
 	opt := newTestOpt()
 	opt.Serve = true
 	opt.Template.Path = "testdata/golden/testmodtime.html"
+	opt.NoAuth = true
 
 	tests := []testRun{{
 		Name:     "modtime",