In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

fhandle: fix UAF due to unlocked ->mnt_ns read in may_decode_fh()

may_decode_fh() accesses mount::mnt_ns without holding any locks; that
means the mount can concurrently be unmounted, and the mnt_namespace can
concurrently be freed after an RCU grace period.

This race can happens as follows, assuming that the mount point was
created by open_tree(..., OPEN_TREE_CLONE):

thread 1 thread 2 RCU
__do_sys_open_by_handle_at
do_handle_open
handle_to_path
may_decode_fh
is_mounted
[mount::mnt_ns access]
[mount::mnt_ns access]
__do_sys_close
fput_close_sync
__fput
dissolve_on_fput
umount_tree
class_namespace_excl_destructor
namespace_unlock
free_mnt_ns
mnt_ns_tree_remove
call_rcu(mnt_ns_release_rcu)
mnt_ns_release_rcu
mnt_ns_release
kfree
[mnt_namespace::user_ns access] **UAF**

Fix it by taking rcu_read_lock() around the mount::mnt_ns access, like
in __prepend_path().
Additionally, document the semantics of mount::mnt_ns, and use WRITE_ONCE()
for writers that can race with lockless readers.

This bug is unreachable unless one of the following is set:

- CONFIG_PREEMPTION
- CONFIG_RCU_STRICT_GRACE_PERIOD

because it requires an RCU grace period to happen during a syscall without
an explicit preemption.

This doesn't seem to have interesting security impact; worst-case, it could
leak the result of an integer comparison to userspace (from the level
check in cap_capable()), cause an endless loop, or crash the kernel by
dereferencing an invalid address.

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History

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fhandle: fix UAF due to unlocked ->mnt_ns read in may_decode_fh() may_decode_fh() accesses mount::mnt_ns without holding any locks; that means the mount can concurrently be unmounted, and the mnt_namespace can concurrently be freed after an RCU grace period. This race can happens as follows, assuming that the mount point was created by open_tree(..., OPEN_TREE_CLONE): thread 1 thread 2 RCU __do_sys_open_by_handle_at do_handle_open handle_to_path may_decode_fh is_mounted [mount::mnt_ns access] [mount::mnt_ns access] __do_sys_close fput_close_sync __fput dissolve_on_fput umount_tree class_namespace_excl_destructor namespace_unlock free_mnt_ns mnt_ns_tree_remove call_rcu(mnt_ns_release_rcu) mnt_ns_release_rcu mnt_ns_release kfree [mnt_namespace::user_ns access] **UAF** Fix it by taking rcu_read_lock() around the mount::mnt_ns access, like in __prepend_path(). Additionally, document the semantics of mount::mnt_ns, and use WRITE_ONCE() for writers that can race with lockless readers. This bug is unreachable unless one of the following is set: - CONFIG_PREEMPTION - CONFIG_RCU_STRICT_GRACE_PERIOD because it requires an RCU grace period to happen during a syscall without an explicit preemption. This doesn't seem to have interesting security impact; worst-case, it could leak the result of an integer comparison to userspace (from the level check in cap_capable()), cause an endless loop, or crash the kernel by dereferencing an invalid address.
Title fhandle: fix UAF due to unlocked ->mnt_ns read in may_decode_fh()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-07-01T13:32:22.873Z

Reserved: 2026-06-09T07:44:35.399Z

Link: CVE-2026-53341

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

No data.

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-07-01T18:45:05Z

Weaknesses