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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2026-98993: Linux kernel · namespace: don't inherit MNT_UMOUNT in clone_mnt()

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in eecc9cd0fc07dba3f7fb0b2f844b4029435a2f7b : patch Linux kernel soon.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.8High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 6% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in eecc9cd0fc07dba3f7fb0b2f844b4029435a2f7b, e2c6d326216642011da318b9edfd5d57ebd5a56f, c26c1a91ad2881a194f7af543e0b57f0870006b2 +3
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 23 Oct 2026

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • >=4.0.2 <4.1
Fixed in
  • eecc9cd0fc07dba3f7fb0b2f844b4029435a2f7b
  • e2c6d326216642011da318b9edfd5d57ebd5a56f
  • c26c1a91ad2881a194f7af543e0b57f0870006b2
  • 99698cfa34e493fc091219056aae446fe9442a96
  • 5077b52e9e4d72da53c50251296b99cd416765a1
  • 4.1
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • =4.1
Fixed in–

AI-suggested

A fix is available and has been applied in Linux kernel version 4.1 and related commits. Users and administrators should upgrade to Linux kernel 4.1 or later to remediate this vulnerability. No additional mitigations are indicated by the vendor advisory.

Description

CVE-2026-98993 is a high-severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel related to namespace mount handling. The flaw involves the MNT_UMOUNT flag being inherited incorrectly during mount cloning, which can cause mounts to be improperly detached, leaked, or left in inconsistent states. This can lead to resource leaks, corrupted mount namespaces, and potential denial of service. The issue affects Linux kernel versions 4.0.2 through 4.1. A fix has been implemented by adding MNT_UMOUNT to internal flags so it is not copied during clone_mnt().

References

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