8.5
HIGH CVSS 4.0
CVE-2026-76642
util-linux libmount Privilege Escalation via Failed Mount Helper
Description

util-linux versions through 2.41.5 and 2.42.2 fail to check mount helper exit status before running post-mount hooks, allowing unprivileged users to execute privileged operations on pre-existing filesystems. Attackers can exploit X-mount.idmap or X-mount.owner hooks to clone filesystems with inherited suid bits or modify target inode permissions after a helper fails, achieving privilege escalation.

INFO

Published Date :

Sept. 3, 2026, 1:06 p.m.

Last Modified :

Sept. 24, 2026, 8:28 p.m.

Remotely Exploit :

No
Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2026-76642 vulnerability. Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the products that are affected, the information is not represented in the table below.

ID Vendor Product Action
1 Kernel util-linux
CVSS Scores
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System is a standardized framework for assessing the severity of vulnerabilities in software and systems. We collect and displays CVSS scores from various sources for each CVE.
Score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Score Impact Score Source
CVSS 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
CVSS 3.1 HIGH 83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10
CVSS 3.1 HIGH MITRE-CVE
CVSS 3.1 HIGH [email protected]
CVSS 4.0 HIGH 83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10
CVSS 4.0 HIGH [email protected]
Solution
Update util-linux to patch mount helper exit status check vulnerability.
  • Update util-linux to a patched version.
  • Ensure mount helper exit statuses are checked.
  • Restrict unprivileged user mount operations.
  • Review post-mount hook configurations.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-76642 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-76642 weaknesses.

We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).

Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.

The following list is the news that have been mention CVE-2026-76642 vulnerability anywhere in the article.

The following table lists the changes that have been made to the CVE-2026-76642 vulnerability over time.

Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.

  • CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

    Sep. 03, 2026

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added Reference https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/security/advisories/GHSA-m25x-3hj9-m26f
    Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-76642', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'poc'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'total'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-09-03T14:00:22.814411Z'}
  • New CVE Received by [email protected]

    Sep. 03, 2026

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added Description util-linux versions through 2.41.5 and 2.42.2 fail to check mount helper exit status before running post-mount hooks, allowing unprivileged users to execute privileged operations on pre-existing filesystems. Attackers can exploit X-mount.idmap or X-mount.owner hooks to clone filesystems with inherited suid bits or modify target inode permissions after a helper fails, achieving privilege escalation.
    Added CVSS V4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
    Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    Added CWE CWE-390
    Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/76xxx/CVE-2026-76642.json">CVE-2026-76642</a>
    Added Reference https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux
    Added Reference https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/blob/v2.42.2/libmount/src/context_mount.c#L476
    Added Reference https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/blob/v2.42.2/libmount/src/context_mount.c#L892
    Added Reference https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/commit/1d14676ea70003e9f5b2a6a76af0cadb1190411a
    Added Reference https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/commit/a15c00a9e545aa8b9cf6ec0f888ff6c7b3eaeedc
    Added Reference https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/commit/f57cea130839c0af8dc0525274267ae4cfd66bbf
    Added Reference https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/security/advisories/GHSA-m25x-3hj9-m26f
    Added Reference https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/util-linux-libmount-privilege-escalation-via-failed-mount-helper
EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days. Following chart shows the EPSS score history of the vulnerability.