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TI-2026-73996 Aliases CVE-2026-53614

util-linux LIBMOUNT_FORCE_MOUNT2 allows nosuid and noexec bypass

Priority LOW 32CWE-269Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
High
Impact type
Privilege escalation
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-269.

Summary

util-linux 2.39.1 through 2.41.4 and 2.42 through 2.42.1 ship a SUID mount utility that reads the attacker-controlled LIBMOUNT_FORCE_MOUNT2 environment variable with getenv(). A local low-privileged user can force the non-atomic legacy bind-mount path. For an /etc/fstab bind mount authorized by user or users and protected by nosuid, noexec, or nodev, the attacker races the window between the initial bind mount and the remount that applies those flags, then runs a SUID program from the temporarily unprotected mount, potentially gaining root privileges.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

Description from the CNA

util-linux is a random collection of Linux utilities. In util-linux 2.39.1 through 2.41.4 and 2.42 through 2.42.1, the SUID `mount` utility reads the attacker-controlled `LIBMOUNT_FORCE_MOUNT2` environment variable with `getenv()`, allowing a local low-privileged user to force the non-atomic legacy bind-mount path. With an `/etc/fstab` bind mount authorized by `user` or `users` and protected by `nosuid`, `noexec`, or `nodev`, an attacker can race the window between the initial bind mount and the remount that applies those security flags and execute a SUID program from the temporarily unprotected mount, potentially gaining root privileges. This issue is fixed in 2.41.5 and 2.42.2.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00133 2nd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed util-linux (util-linux): 2.41.5, 2.42.2Red Hat: 2 advisories

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
util-linuxutil-linux2.39.1 to before 2.41.5; 2.42 to before 2.42.22.41.5, 2.42.2Patch availableCNA
  • util-linux Vendorutil-linux Affected 2.39.1 to before 2.41.5; 2.42 to before 2.42.2 Fixed in 2.41.5, 2.42.2 Patch available CNA

Remediation

Upgrade util-linux to 2.41.5 or 2.42.2, which fix this issue. Red Hat rates it Important and fixes it in RHSA-2026:93461 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS, AppStream and CodeReady Linux Builder (version 10).

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

  • Fix · CNA util-linux (util-linux) Fixed in 2.41.5, 2.42.2

Red Hat 2 advisories

  • RHSA-2026:95365 Released 2026-11-04 · Red Hat rating Critical
    Red Hat Cost Management On-Premise container image update
    • Red Hat Cost Management On-Premise 1 registry.redhat.io/costmanagement/costmanagement-ui-rhel10
  • RHSA-2026:93461 Released 2026-11-02 · Red Hat rating Important
    util-linux security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10) libblkid-devel-2.40.2-18.el10_2.20, libmount-devel-2.40.2-18.el10_2.20, libuuid-devel-2.40.2-18.el10_2.20 +2
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10) libblkid-2.40.2-18.el10_2.20, libfdisk-2.40.2-18.el10_2.20, libmount-2.40.2-18.el10_2.20 +4
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) libfdisk-devel-2.40.2-18.el10_2.20, libsmartcols-devel-2.40.2-18.el10_2.20

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Cost Management On-Premise 1Fixed RHSA-2026:95365
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2026:93461
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2026:93461
Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2026:93461
Not affected: 6 products
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
  • Red Hat Hardened Images
  • Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
  • Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-14 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-53614
  2. 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  3. 2026-10-16 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
  4. 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  5. 2026-11-02 Fix available: RHSA-2026:93461 · Red Hat
  6. 2026-11-02 Fix available: Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10), Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10), Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) · Red Hat
  7. 2026-11-05 Fix available: Red Hat Cost Management On-Premise 1 · Red Hat
  8. 2026-11-06 Fix available: RHSA-2026:95365 · Red Hat

References

Other 8

  • TI-2026-53553 util-linux libmount Privilege Escalation via Failed Mount Helper CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.5
  • TI-2026-73994 Race condition in util-linux mount hook allows privilege escalation CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.0
  • TI-2026-74163 Integer overflow in util-linux libblkid DOS extended partition parsing CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.0
  • TI-2026-73995 Race condition in util-linux mount lets local users gain root CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.0
  • TI-2025-12886 Util-linux: util-linux: heap buffer overread in setpwnam() when processing 256-byte usernames CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences