namespace: never expire a locked mount
Locked mounts are special. They protect the underlying files and
directories from being revealed. do_umount() refuses to unmount locked
mounts but shrink_submounts() doesn't.
A shrinkable mount can become locked once the owner of a user namespace
puts it beneath a locked mount with MOVE_MOUNT_BENEATH. The locked
property now moves to the mount at the bottom making it possible to
unmount the top mount.
So umount() of an unlocked ancestor now expires the bottom mount first
and the covered directory is revealed:
move_mount(c -> x/hidden, MOVE_MOUNT_BENEATH) = 0
the cover after the lock moved: umount2(x/hidden) = 0
the holder of the lock: umount2(x/hidden) = EINVAL
the root of the copy, busy: umount2(x) = EBUSY
reads x/hidden/secret: "covered-by-root"
So leave a locked mount alone as it dies together with its parent. A
plain umount() of an unlocked mount with a locked one below it is EBUSY
from now on. It's the same for any other locked child. A lazy umount
still takes the whole tree.
mark_mounts_for_expiry() never sees a locked mount. lock_mnt_tree()
leaves a mount on an expiry list alone and nothing else puts a locked
one on such a list. Add an assert for this.
Analysis
Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
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No data.
No data.
No data available yet.
No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.
Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Tracking
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Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: namespace: never expire a locked mount Locked mounts are special. They protect the underlying files and directories from being revealed. do_umount() refuses to unmount locked mounts but shrink_submounts() doesn't. A shrinkable mount can become locked once the owner of a user namespace puts it beneath a locked mount with MOVE_MOUNT_BENEATH. The locked property now moves to the mount at the bottom making it possible to unmount the top mount. So umount() of an unlocked ancestor now expires the bottom mount first and the covered directory is revealed: move_mount(c -> x/hidden, MOVE_MOUNT_BENEATH) = 0 the cover after the lock moved: umount2(x/hidden) = 0 the holder of the lock: umount2(x/hidden) = EINVAL the root of the copy, busy: umount2(x) = EBUSY reads x/hidden/secret: "covered-by-root" So leave a locked mount alone as it dies together with its parent. A plain umount() of an unlocked mount with a locked one below it is EBUSY from now on. It's the same for any other locked child. A lazy umount still takes the whole tree. mark_mounts_for_expiry() never sees a locked mount. lock_mnt_tree() leaves a mount on an expiry list alone and nothing else puts a locked one on such a list. Add an assert for this. | |
| Title | namespace: never expire a locked mount | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-10-23T12:19:51.428Z
Reserved: 2026-09-25T10:25:14.383Z
Link: CVE-2026-98978
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-10-23T13:17:19.517
Modified: 2026-10-23T13:17:19.517
Link: CVE-2026-98978
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
No weakness.