CVE-2026-98994: Linux kernel · statmount: read the parent of an unmounted mount under mount_lock
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited : upgrade to bb46094057520304073130920c223451c2a694a7 or 98fc6c7b6ca676157d2c780bd0a537b2c10fe08f soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:30 UTC
Rated High by Threat Radar's AI analysis · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 4% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in bb46094057520304073130920c223451c2a694a7, 98fc6c7b6ca676157d2c780bd0a537b2c10fe08f
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 23 Oct 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by 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 Linux kernel to bb46094057520304073130920c223451c2a694a7 or 98fc6c7b6ca676157d2c780bd0a537b2c10fe08f.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel, as indicated by the fixed commit versions bb46094057520304073130920c223451c2a694a7 and 98fc6c7b6ca676157d2c780bd0a537b2c10fe08f. Users and administrators should update to a kernel version that includes these fixes. No additional mitigation is required beyond applying the official patch.
Description
CVE-2026-98994 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel related to the statmount functionality. It involves a race condition where statmount_mnt_basic() reads the parent of an unmounted mount under mount_lock. This can lead to dereferencing a mount that has already been freed due to concurrent unmount operations. The issue arises because the parent mount can be freed while the child mount is still being accessed, potentially causing use-after-free conditions.