Medium severity · published Apr 3, 2026
CVE-2026-27456
util-linux: TOCTOU Race Condition in util-linux mount(8) - Loop Device Setup
4.7
CVSS
0.2%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
util-linux is a random collection of Linux utilities. Prior to version 2.41.4, a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check-Time-of-Use) vulnerability has been identified in the SUID binary /usr/bin/mount from util-linux. The mount binary, when setting up loop devices, validates the source file path with user privileges via fork() + setuid() + realpath(), but subsequently re-canonicalizes and opens it with root privileges (euid=0) without verifying that the path has not been replaced between both operations. Neither O_NOFOLLOW, nor inode comparison, nor post-open fstat() are employed. This allows a local unprivileged user to replace the source file with a symlink pointing to any root-owned file or device during the race window, causing the SUID binary to open and mount it as root. Exploitation requires an /etc/fstab entry with user,loop options whose path points to a directory where the attacker has write permission, and that /usr/bin/mount has the SUID bit set (the default configuration on virtually all Linux distributions). The impact is unauthorized read access to root-protected files and block devices, including backup images, disk volumes, and any file containing a valid filesystem. This issue has been patched in version 2.41.4.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
High
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.2% · higher than 4% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
UT
util-linux · util-linux
< 2.41.4 · source: vendor, NVD
Affected product
UT
util-linux
util-linux
More from util-linux
8.0
CVE-2026-53615
util-linux libblkid DOS extended-partition overflow produces invalid partition metadata
7.8
CVE-2026-76642
util-linux libmount Privilege Escalation via Failed Mount Helper
7.0
CVE-2026-53614
util-linux LIBMOUNT_FORCE_MOUNT2 allows nosuid and noexec bypass
7.0
CVE-2026-53613
util-linux mount target TOCTOU allows local privilege escalation
7.0
CVE-2026-53612
util-linux mount hook_owner TOCTOU allows local privilege escalation