ZDF
Sign inSign up

Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2026-98978

namespace: never expire a locked mount

Published Oct 23, 2026 · catalog updated Oct 24, 2026 · Linux Linux

Last checked Oct 25, 2026. A connected source was read within the last 7 days.

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-98978. EPSS is 0.17%. Act only if a listed version of Linux Linux is installed.

Gaps on this record

  • No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.

Same product and reporting

Severity
High8.4
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
0.17%
Remediation
Not established
Affected products
vendor Linux Linux

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: namespace: never expire a locked mount Locked mounts are special. They protect the underlying files and directories from being revealed. do_umount() refuses to unmount locked mounts but shrink_submounts() doesn't. A shrinkable mount can become locked once the owner of a user namespace puts it beneath a locked mount with MOVE_MOUNT_BENEATH. The locked property now moves to the mount at the bottom making it possible to unmount the top mount. So umount() of an unlocked ancestor now expires the bottom mount first and the covered directory is revealed: move_mount(c -> x/hidden, MOVE_MOUNT_BENEATH) = 0 the cover after the lock moved: umount2(x/hidden) = 0 the holder of the lock: umount2(x/hidden) = EINVAL the root of the copy, busy: umount2(x) = EBUSY reads x/hidden/secret: "covered-by-root" So leave a locked mount alone as it dies together with its parent. A plain umount() of an unlocked mount with a locked one below it is EBUSY from now on. It's the same for any other locked child. A lazy umount still takes the whole tree. mark_mounts_for_expiry() never sees a locked mount. lock_mnt_tree() leaves a mount on an expiry list alone and nothing else puts a locked one on such a list. Add an assert for this.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • vendor Linux Linuxversion unspecified

How to fix CVE-2026-98978

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-98978. EPSS is 0.17%. Act only if a listed version of Linux Linux is installed.

Which versions are affected?

Affected version ranges are not on this record. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

No weakness class is stored. EPSS 0.17%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Oct 24, 2026 · Tenable CVE Database

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: namespace: never expire a locked mount Locked mounts are special. They protect the underlying files and directories from being revealed. do_umount() refuses to unmount locked mounts but shrink_submounts() doesn't. A shrinkable mount can become locked once the owner of a user namespace puts it beneath a locked mount with MOVE_MOUNT

  2. Oct 24, 2026 · CVE.org

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: namespace: never expire a locked mount Locked mounts are special. They protect the underlying files and directories from being revealed. do_umount() refuses to unmount locked mounts but shrink_submounts() doesn't. A shrinkable mount can become locked once the owner of a user namespace puts it beneath a locked mount with MOVE_MOUNT

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-98978

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: namespace: never expire a locked mount Locked mounts are special. They protect the underlying files and directories from being revealed. do_umount() refuses to unmount locked mounts but shrink_submounts() doesn't

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-98978

    30-day exploitation probability 0.17%

    first.org
  • Tenable CVE DatabaseVulnerability recordCVE-2026-98978

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: namespace: never expire a locked mount Locked mounts are special. They protect the underlying files and directories from being revealed. do_umount() refuses to unmount locked mounts but shrink_submounts() doesn't. A shrinkable mount can become locked once the owner of a user namespace puts it beneath a locked mount with MOVE_MOUNT

    tenable.com

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 25, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.

  • FIRST EPSSOct 25, 2026
  • Tenable CVE DatabaseOct 25, 2026
  • CVE.orgOct 25, 2026