CVE-2026-98983 (GCVE-0-2026-98983)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-10-23 12:20 – Updated: 2026-10-23 12:20
VLAI
Title
unshare: don't drop active namespace references that were never taken
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: unshare: don't drop active namespace references that were never taken Active references on the namespaces of an nsproxy are taken when the nsproxy is installed into a task in switch_task_namespaces() and copy_namespaces() and dropped again by put_nsproxy() through deactivate_nsproxy(). But ksys_unshare() calls put_nsproxy() on an nsproxy that was never installed when set_cred_ucounts() fails. The new namespaces of that nsproxy go from zero to minus one and the namespaces shared with the caller lose a reference that belongs to the nsproxy the caller keeps using: WARNING: kernel/nscommon.c:171 at __ns_ref_active_put+0x1cd/0x230 nsproxy_ns_active_put deactivate_nsproxy ksys_unshare Afterwards the namespaces the caller lives in aren't listed by listns() anymore. set_cred_ucounts() only fails when alloc_ucounts() can't allocate and it only allocates when the real uid of the caller differs from its effective uid. Commit cefd55bd2159 ("nsproxy: fix free_nsproxy() and simplify create_new_namespaces()") separated the two cases on purpose. nsproxy_free() frees an nsproxy that was prepared but never installed and that's what a failed setns() uses in put_nsset(). Export it and use it for a failed unshare() as well.
Severity
No CVSS data available.
Assigner
Linux CNA under the mitre root
CNA scorecard D 53/100 over 7061 records in the last 180 days details
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Linux Linux Affected: a98621a0f187a934c115dcfe79a49520ae892111 , < 56fe03a0c05dba4c5f6a23c391f96de1614a098c (git)
Affected: a98621a0f187a934c115dcfe79a49520ae892111 , < 0b6f31a3c0b16066f812e94b52a704174a6f23cd (git)
Affected: 27ae6b17c9ba7ff353ab0906297f08aa845782b4 (git)
Affected: 297261b343371c4f0b31055d53d285138ec21565 (git)
Affected: 813a47b0309097da71781ee4ac11922e39b67d55 (git)
Affected: 6e608e3e5ce12ce7fd21e46212eccca37f917d0e (git)
Affected: a261fccdb4ac58ec5ba6aa1d92a6cc418fff301f (git)
Affected: 665dc1ed16357988d439fc5bbc860ee36f540d81 (git)
Affected: 5.15.209 , < 5.16 (semver)
Affected: 6.1.175 , < 6.2 (semver)
Affected: 6.6.141 , < 6.7 (semver)
Affected: 6.12.91 , < 6.13 (semver)
Affected: 6.18.33 , < 6.19 (semver)
Affected: 7.0.10 , < 7.1 (semver)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Linux Linux Affected: 7.1
Unaffected: 0 , < 7.1 (semver)
Unaffected: 7.2.11 , ≤ 7.2.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.3 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "include/linux/nsproxy.h",
            "kernel/fork.c",
            "kernel/nsproxy.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "56fe03a0c05dba4c5f6a23c391f96de1614a098c",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "a98621a0f187a934c115dcfe79a49520ae892111",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "0b6f31a3c0b16066f812e94b52a704174a6f23cd",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "a98621a0f187a934c115dcfe79a49520ae892111",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "27ae6b17c9ba7ff353ab0906297f08aa845782b4",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "297261b343371c4f0b31055d53d285138ec21565",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "813a47b0309097da71781ee4ac11922e39b67d55",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6e608e3e5ce12ce7fd21e46212eccca37f917d0e",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "a261fccdb4ac58ec5ba6aa1d92a6cc418fff301f",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "665dc1ed16357988d439fc5bbc860ee36f540d81",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "5.16",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "5.15.209",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.2",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.1.175",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.7",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.6.141",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.13",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.12.91",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.19",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.18.33",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "7.1",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "7.0.10",
              "versionType": "semver"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "include/linux/nsproxy.h",
            "kernel/fork.c",
            "kernel/nsproxy.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "7.1"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "7.1",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.2.11",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.3",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.2.11",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "7.1",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.3",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "7.1",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "5.15.209",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.1.175",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.6.141",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.12.91",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.18.33",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "7.0.10",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nunshare: don\u0027t drop active namespace references that were never taken\n\nActive references on the namespaces of an nsproxy are taken when the\nnsproxy is installed into a task in switch_task_namespaces() and\ncopy_namespaces() and dropped again by put_nsproxy() through\ndeactivate_nsproxy().\n\nBut ksys_unshare() calls put_nsproxy() on an nsproxy that was never\ninstalled when set_cred_ucounts() fails. The new namespaces of that\nnsproxy go from zero to minus one and the namespaces shared with the\ncaller lose a reference that belongs to the nsproxy the caller keeps\nusing:\n\n  WARNING: kernel/nscommon.c:171 at __ns_ref_active_put+0x1cd/0x230\n   nsproxy_ns_active_put\n   deactivate_nsproxy\n   ksys_unshare\n\nAfterwards the namespaces the caller lives in aren\u0027t listed by listns()\nanymore. set_cred_ucounts() only fails when alloc_ucounts() can\u0027t\nallocate and it only allocates when the real uid of the caller differs\nfrom its effective uid.\n\nCommit cefd55bd2159 (\"nsproxy: fix free_nsproxy() and simplify\ncreate_new_namespaces()\") separated the two cases on purpose.\nnsproxy_free() frees an nsproxy that was prepared but never installed\nand that\u0027s what a failed setns() uses in put_nsset(). Export it and use\nit for a failed unshare() as well."
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-10-23T12:20:00.918Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/56fe03a0c05dba4c5f6a23c391f96de1614a098c"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0b6f31a3c0b16066f812e94b52a704174a6f23cd"
        }
      ],
      "title": "unshare: don\u0027t drop active namespace references that were never taken",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-98983",
    "datePublished": "2026-10-23T12:20:00.918Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-09-25T10:25:14.384Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-10-23T12:20:00.918Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "nvd": {
      "cve": {
        "affected": [
          {
            "affectedData": [
              {
                "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
                "product": "Linux",
                "programFiles": [
                  "include/linux/nsproxy.h",
                  "kernel/fork.c",
                  "kernel/nsproxy.c"
                ],
                "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
                "vendor": "Linux",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "lessThan": "56fe03a0c05dba4c5f6a23c391f96de1614a098c",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "a98621a0f187a934c115dcfe79a49520ae892111",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "0b6f31a3c0b16066f812e94b52a704174a6f23cd",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "a98621a0f187a934c115dcfe79a49520ae892111",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "27ae6b17c9ba7ff353ab0906297f08aa845782b4",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "297261b343371c4f0b31055d53d285138ec21565",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "813a47b0309097da71781ee4ac11922e39b67d55",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "6e608e3e5ce12ce7fd21e46212eccca37f917d0e",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "a261fccdb4ac58ec5ba6aa1d92a6cc418fff301f",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "665dc1ed16357988d439fc5bbc860ee36f540d81",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "5.16",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "5.15.209",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "6.2",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "6.1.175",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "6.7",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "6.6.141",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "6.13",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "6.12.91",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "6.19",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "6.18.33",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "7.1",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "7.0.10",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  }
                ]
              },
              {
                "defaultStatus": "affected",
                "product": "Linux",
                "programFiles": [
                  "include/linux/nsproxy.h",
                  "kernel/fork.c",
                  "kernel/nsproxy.c"
                ],
                "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
                "vendor": "Linux",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "7.1"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "7.1",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "0",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "7.2.11",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "7.3",
                    "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ],
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
          }
        ],
        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nunshare: don\u0027t drop active namespace references that were never taken\n\nActive references on the namespaces of an nsproxy are taken when the\nnsproxy is installed into a task in switch_task_namespaces() and\ncopy_namespaces() and dropped again by put_nsproxy() through\ndeactivate_nsproxy().\n\nBut ksys_unshare() calls put_nsproxy() on an nsproxy that was never\ninstalled when set_cred_ucounts() fails. The new namespaces of that\nnsproxy go from zero to minus one and the namespaces shared with the\ncaller lose a reference that belongs to the nsproxy the caller keeps\nusing:\n\n  WARNING: kernel/nscommon.c:171 at __ns_ref_active_put+0x1cd/0x230\n   nsproxy_ns_active_put\n   deactivate_nsproxy\n   ksys_unshare\n\nAfterwards the namespaces the caller lives in aren\u0027t listed by listns()\nanymore. set_cred_ucounts() only fails when alloc_ucounts() can\u0027t\nallocate and it only allocates when the real uid of the caller differs\nfrom its effective uid.\n\nCommit cefd55bd2159 (\"nsproxy: fix free_nsproxy() and simplify\ncreate_new_namespaces()\") separated the two cases on purpose.\nnsproxy_free() frees an nsproxy that was prepared but never installed\nand that\u0027s what a failed setns() uses in put_nsset(). Export it and use\nit for a failed unshare() as well."
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2026-98983",
        "lastModified": "2026-10-23T13:17:20.160",
        "metrics": {},
        "published": "2026-10-23T13:17:20.160",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
            "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0b6f31a3c0b16066f812e94b52a704174a6f23cd"
          },
          {
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
            "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/56fe03a0c05dba4c5f6a23c391f96de1614a098c"
          }
        ],
        "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "vulnStatus": "Received"
      }
    }
  }
}



Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.


Loading…

Loading…

Loading…

Drag nodes to arrange them. Double-click a related vulnerability to open it, or a source to visit its link. The Physics button on the left tunes the layout and the simulation; the legend at the bottom left hides or shows nodes by kind and by sighting type.

Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Vulnerability timeline

Sightings and recorded dates, grouped by day · UTC

JSON
Events included in the timeline

Loading timeline…


    Loading…

    Loading…

    Loading…

    Related by attack behaviour

    Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.