CVE-2026-98993 - In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: 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 u
HIGH
Severity & confidence
Source severityhigh
Platform severityhigh
Confidencehigh
Exploitationunknown
CVSS7.8
Affected
Vendorslinux
Reporting sources (1)
NIST NVD - National Vulnerability Database
Timeline & provenance
Published2026-10-23T13:17:21
Last updated2026-10-26T06:31:48
Ingested2026-10-25T15:19:18
FreshnessNEAR-REAL-TIME
Threat typevulnerability
Recommended action
No recommended action published with this item - review the original source.
Next steps
- Identify affected systems in your environment.
- Apply the vendor patch or mitigation guidance.
- Review logs for indicators described in the advisory.
- Follow the affected vendor/product to track updates.
Confidence explanation
Reported by a government or cert-grade source (CISA, NCSC, NVD, ENISA, MSRC).
Source type: standards ยท Original: NIST NVD - National Vulnerability Database