CVE-2026-98987

namespace: look at the topmost mount for a mount namespace file

Published Oct 23, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 2.3 Low EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

namespace: look at the topmost mount for a mount namespace file

attach_recursive_mnt() preallocates a mountpoint for the root of the
topmost mount of the source so that a mount that already sits at the
destination can be put on top of the source or on top of one of its
propagated copies.

The copies are made without CL_COPY_MNT_NS_FILE so their chain of
overmounts is shorter than the source's. It ends below the first bind
mount of a mount namespace file. So while the loop walks up the chain of
the source it remembers the mountpoint of that mount in "shorter" and
the existing mount is put there for the copies.

But the loop ends at the topmost mount without ever looking at it. If
the topmost mount is the only mount namespace file in the chain
"shorter" stays NULL and mnt_change_mountpoint() attaches the existing
mount of the copy below the root of the mount namespace file. That's a
dentry of nsfs. No path walk in the copy's mount namespace ever gets
there. The mount is gone until its parent goes and the copy that took
its place can't be unmounted synchronously because it has a child:

S bind mount of a file
N bind mount of a mount namespace file on top of S
A shared mount, B a slave of A, Q mounted on B/file

move_mount(S, A/file)
cat B/file -> the content of S instead of Q
umount B/file -> EBUSY

Look at every mount of the chain including the topmost one.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9018-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9018-2 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9019-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9020-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-667
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-193
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 2.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L'}

threat_severity

Low

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux linux
Vendors & Products Linux linux
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-667
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: namespace: look at the topmost mount for a mount namespace file attach_recursive_mnt() preallocates a mountpoint for the root of the topmost mount of the source so that a mount that already sits at the destination can be put on top of the source or on top of one of its propagated copies. The copies are made without CL_COPY_MNT_NS_FILE so their chain of overmounts is shorter than the source's. It ends below the first bind mount of a mount namespace file. So while the loop walks up the chain of the source it remembers the mountpoint of that mount in "shorter" and the existing mount is put there for the copies. But the loop ends at the topmost mount without ever looking at it. If the topmost mount is the only mount namespace file in the chain "shorter" stays NULL and mnt_change_mountpoint() attaches the existing mount of the copy below the root of the mount namespace file. That's a dentry of nsfs. No path walk in the copy's mount namespace ever gets there. The mount is gone until its parent goes and the copy that took its place can't be unmounted synchronously because it has a child: S bind mount of a file N bind mount of a mount namespace file on top of S A shared mount, B a slave of A, Q mounted on B/file move_mount(S, A/file) cat B/file -> the content of S instead of Q umount B/file -> EBUSY Look at every mount of the chain including the topmost one.
Title namespace: look at the topmost mount for a mount namespace file
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Oct 23, 2026, 12:20 PM
Reserved
Sep 25, 2026, 10:25 AM
Status
Received
Published
Oct 23, 2026, 1:17 PM
Modified
Oct 23, 2026, 1:17 PM
Severity
Low
Public date
Oct 23, 2026, 12:00 AM