CVE-2026-98993 — namespace: don't inherit MNT_UMOUNT in clone_mnt()
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: namespace: don't inherit MNT_UMOUNT in clone_mnt() MNT_UMOUNT gets raised on a mount that umount_tree() or umount_one() has taken out of its namespace. It's never cleared. __detach_mounts() unhooks a mount that carries it instead of unmounting it. disconnect_mount() lets an unmounted child stay attached only if its parent carries it. propagate_umount() takes it as the sign that a mount is going to be unmounted when it decides what else can be unmounted, where a chain of locked mounts ends and where a for reparenting an overmount. clone_mnt() copies the flags of the source and only masks MNT_INTERNAL_FLAGS which doesn't include MNT_UMOUNT. A mount that was lazily unmounted but is kept alive by a file descriptor can still be copied when its root is an nsfs or pidfs file because may_copy_tree() accepts those before checking whether the source is mounted at all: mount --bind /proc/self/ns/net /tmp/x exec 3< /tmp/x umount -l /tmp/x mount --bind /proc/self/fd/3 /tmp/y The mount on /tmp/y is attached to the caller's namespace with MNT_UMOUNT already set and every copy of it inherits the flag again. That causes a number of bugs: - Unlink its mountpoint from a mount namespace where it isn't one. __detach_mounts() takes it for a mount that was unmounted earlier, unhooks it from its parent and drops the reference the namespace holds on it. It stays in the namespace with one reference too few and as its own parent, so it can't be unmounted through the file descriptor anymore and the namespace never finds it again. When the namespace goes away it's leaked and points to a freed struct mnt_namespace that may_change_propagation() and anon_ns_root() read on the next propagation change or mount_setattr() through the file descriptor. - Make it shared and unmount a peer. trace_transfers() follows the flag from the peer into it and strips it from its peer group. - Let a propagated umount reach it. gather_candidates() marks it with T_UMOUNT_CANDIDATE but never puts it on the candidate list, so the mark is never cleared and every later propagated umount skips it. If it's the parent of a locked mount handle_locked() takes it as the cutoff and commits the locked child that should have stayed and disconnect_mount() leaves that child attached to it, unmounted under a mounted parent, which is what disconnect_mount() exists to prevent. When the namespace goes away umount_tree() visits the child a second time. And once __detach_mounts() has made it its own parent reparent() never finds the end of the chain of unmounted parents. A clone is a new mount that has never been unmounted. Add MNT_UMOUNT to MNT_INTERNAL_FLAGS so clone_mnt() never copies it. And warn when umount_tree() reaches a mount that already has it set.
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
- Technical severity (high)+6
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 |
≥ 590ce4bcbfb4e0462a720a4ad901e84416080bba and < 99698cfa34e493fc091219056aae446fe9442a96≥ 590ce4bcbfb4e0462a720a4ad901e84416080bba and < c26c1a91ad2881a194f7af543e0b57f0870006b2≥ 590ce4bcbfb4e0462a720a4ad901e84416080bba and < eecc9cd0fc07dba3f7fb0b2f844b4029435a2f7b≥ 590ce4bcbfb4e0462a720a4ad901e84416080bba and < 5077b52e9e4d72da53c50251296b99cd416765a1≥ 590ce4bcbfb4e0462a720a4ad901e84416080bba and < e2c6d326216642011da318b9edfd5d57ebd5a56fversion 7052e71b2d085f76800115d4a212dcaf82b86262≥ 4.0.2 and < 4.1version 4.1 and 3 more≥ 590ce4bcbfb4e0462a720a4ad901e84416080bba and < b201d59d047a5e05728c10864a56bdb67950d0b1≥ 590ce4bcbfb4e0462a720a4ad901e84416080bba and < de098fb4594f8724fa286f08c7f42837bc19b478≥ 590ce4bcbfb4e0462a720a4ad901e84416080bba and < fc1f3a476c35164c1beed7090fc0e630f52d778e |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67) 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.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- CVSS changed · 7.8
- 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/99698cfa34e493fc091219056aae446fe9442a96
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-53w5-4v27-r5f4
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e2c6d326216642011da318b9edfd5d57ebd5a56f
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/de098fb4594f8724fa286f08c7f42837bc19b478
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c26c1a91ad2881a194f7af543e0b57f0870006b2
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/eecc9cd0fc07dba3f7fb0b2f844b4029435a2f7b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b201d59d047a5e05728c10864a56bdb67950d0b1
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98993
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5077b52e9e4d72da53c50251296b99cd416765a1
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fc1f3a476c35164c1beed7090fc0e630f52d778e
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 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-2026-98993 is "namespace: don't inherit MNT_UMOUNT in clone_mnt()", rated High. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 describes technical severity. 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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