CVE-2026-53613

util-linux mount target TOCTOU allows local privilege escalation

HIGH
7
CVSS Score
Published: October 14, 2026 at 02:52 PM UTC
Updated: October 16, 2026 at 04:00 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorUtil Linux

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Severity
HIGH7
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

util-linux is a random collection of Linux utilities. In util-linux 2.17 through 2.41.6 and 2.42 through 2.42.3, and in 2.42.4 when the legacy `mount(2)` path is used without `/proc`, restricted non-root `mount` requests validate an `/etc/fstab` target before the mount operation re-resolves that pathname. A local low-privileged user authorized by an fstab `user` or `users` entry whose target has an attacker-writable ancestor can use `renameat2(RENAME_EXCHANGE)` to swap a path component and redirect an authorized mount to a root-owned location, such as mounting attacker-controlled content over `/etc/sudoers.d`, and thereby gain root privileges. Versions 2.41.5 and 2.42.2 pin targets for the new mount API, and 2.42.4 pins legacy targets through `/proc/self/fd`; the documented legacy fallback without `/proc` remains affected.

Affected

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

>= 2.17, <= 2.41.6>= 2.42, <= 2.42.4

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

SSVCNo known exploitNot 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

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