CVE-2026-53612

util-linux mount hook_owner TOCTOU allows local privilege escalation

HIGH
7
CVSS Score
Published: October 14, 2026 at 02:47 PM UTC
Updated: October 16, 2026 at 04:00 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorUtil Linux

Using util-linux by util-linux?

Get instant alerts when new vulnerabilities affect util-linux - before attackers find them.

Real-time alertsTrack your software stackFree plan available
Severity
HIGH7
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
PoC

Description

util-linux is a random collection of Linux utilities. In util-linux 2.39 through 2.41.4 and 2.42 through 2.42.1, the SUID `mount` utility's `hook_owner.c` post-mount hook performs path-based `chmod()` and `lchown()` operations on a previously validated mount target. A local low-privileged user authorized by an `/etc/fstab` entry with `user` or `users` and an `X-mount.mode`, `X-mount.owner`, or `X-mount.group` option can use `renameat2(RENAME_EXCHANGE)` to race a writable ancestor of the target and redirect the privileged ownership or mode change to a root-owned path, potentially gaining root privileges. This issue is fixed in 2.41.5 and 2.42.2.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

>= 2.39, < 2.41.5>= 2.42, < 2.42.2

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCPoCNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

7HIGHGitHub_M
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
HIGH
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusAWAITING ANALYSIS
CWE
CWE-367

Get alerted

Stop reading CVE feeds looking for your own stack

Track the products you run and VulnTracker tells you when a new CVE affects them — with what is known about fixing it, and nothing about the rest.

Free plan, no card