CVE-2026-98977 — namespace: handle mount locking for automounts correctly
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: namespace: handle mount locking for automounts correctly If mounts are propagated across user namespaces, attach_recursive_mnt() locks every copy of the source mount to protect overmounts from vanishing and revealing the underlying files or directories. The user namespace is taken from the caller's mount namespaces since this is where the mounts end up. Except, that's not always true. Automounts may legitimately get popped in by tasks located in a different mount and user namespace during path lookup. Then check doesn't make sense at that point. The copy in the namespace of the parent - which may be the host's - is now locked and the host cannot change the flags of its own mounts anymore. Here's the reproducer: - host has debugfs mounted nosuid,nodev,noexec and shared - tracefs automount below it is not yet active - hand a child process a directory descriptor on that mount - child process enters auser and mount namespace - child process' namespace now holds a locked copy of the host's debugfs mount that receives propagation from it - child process stats "tracing/." through the descriptor - lookup runs on the host's mount so the automount lands below the host's mount - propagation puts a copy below the child's copy - both try to clear the flags on the mount they got, with a bind remount: host, on its own automount: MS_REMOUNT|MS_BIND = EPERM child, on the copy in its namespace: MS_REMOUNT|MS_BIND = 0 So the lock landed on the host's mount instead of the child's copy. Congrats. So we need to compare with the owner of the namespace the mount actually gets mounted on. For all regular cases that is the caller's mount namespace and so nothing changes. Detached trees in anonymous mount namespaces by be handed over via SCM_RIGHTS or inherited in other ways on purpose so the attaching task's mount namespace is authoritative, not the creator of the detached tree.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux).
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
≥ 132c94e31b8bca8ea921f9f96a57d684fa4ae0a9 and < 5e8f3ac8fa3d411b422ad32b9168c46a4824cc79≥ 132c94e31b8bca8ea921f9f96a57d684fa4ae0a9 and < b3ccde78f1608836e62320428abc0e8aa9cf2329≥ 132c94e31b8bca8ea921f9f96a57d684fa4ae0a9 and < e01c79761c7b3373e80094c5eadb21cb864fa8bc≥ 132c94e31b8bca8ea921f9f96a57d684fa4ae0a9 and < 6ab37fae14196ba2262b152a7d9222c50356d278≥ 132c94e31b8bca8ea921f9f96a57d684fa4ae0a9 and < 33aadc7c72055fca93cb5a3691d836ebf8b31c9bversion 9c773201d61272db49f8f33a83a3cb2a3fe4b14f≥ 3.8.6 and < 3.9version 3.9 and 3 more≥ 132c94e31b8bca8ea921f9f96a57d684fa4ae0a9 and < f9b488641cfa63f9b41321530c543688b2e34f03≥ 132c94e31b8bca8ea921f9f96a57d684fa4ae0a9 and < 91676705756af6a59a515087b8b854c8a28d12eb≥ 132c94e31b8bca8ea921f9f96a57d684fa4ae0a9 and < 587d25c4b13d49c8fd05df2f71240f73bb2a058c |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 24, 2026 → Oct 30, 2026 · 7 reading(s) · max 0.21%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Not enough vector or weakness data: use the affected application’s logs as a starting point.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Source status changed · → Received
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 3× References added · Oct 23, 2026 – Oct 30, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 23, 2026 – Oct 23, 2026
References
10 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/91676705756af6a59a515087b8b854c8a28d12eb
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e01c79761c7b3373e80094c5eadb21cb864fa8bc
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f9b488641cfa63f9b41321530c543688b2e34f03
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/33aadc7c72055fca93cb5a3691d836ebf8b31c9b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5e8f3ac8fa3d411b422ad32b9168c46a4824cc79
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98977
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6ab37fae14196ba2262b152a7d9222c50356d278
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/587d25c4b13d49c8fd05df2f71240f73bb2a058c
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b3ccde78f1608836e62320428abc0e8aa9cf2329
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-qrj7-g2h3-853j
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Unknown CVE-2026-99216 Drivers: hv: Don't reset VMBus connection state on error/exit paths 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99215 power: supply: core: prevent unregistering a power supply while a callback runs 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99207 scsi: target: Disable interrupts while holding delayed_cmd_lock 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99208 drm/xe/oa: Zero OA buffer at allocation 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99209 drm/xe: skip eviction of a BO with no resource 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99210 accel/rocket: clear rdev on device init failure 2d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CVSS score published by NVD, the CNA, CISA or GitHub so far.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No CWE classification.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-98977 is "namespace: handle mount locking for automounts correctly", rated Unknown. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. EPSS 0.18% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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