Local execution-policy bypass via skipped overlayfs layers
Published Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026
SELinux access-control bypass in affected Linux kernels allows local users to execute policy-denied files through nested overlayfs mappings. During mprotect(), the SELinux file hook sees only the lowest backing file in vma->vm_file and fails to recheck the mounters and labels of intermediate layers that mmap() checks. Exploitation requires nested stacked filesystems and an enforcing policy that denies execution on an intermediate layer; mapping without execute permission and then adding it bypasses that denial.
Summary
What happened
SELinux access-control bypass in affected Linux kernels allows local users to execute policy-denied files through nested overlayfs mappings. During mprotect(), the SELinux file hook sees only the lowest backing file in vma->vm_file and fails to recheck the mounters and labels of intermediate layers that mmap() checks. Exploitation requires nested stacked filesystems and an enforcing policy that denies execution on an intermediate layer; mapping without execute permission and then adding it bypasses that denial.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98214
- Published
- Oct 6, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 6, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 6, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=6.12.95 <6.12.112
- Affected versionversion=6.18.38 <6.18.54
- Affected versionversion=6.6.144 <6.6.158
- Affected versionversion=7.0.4 <7.1
- Affected versionversion=7.1
- Affected versionversion=82544d36b1729153c8aeb179e84750f0c085d3b1 <78fc54b934bfb2c18aad8154c7302067146946f9
- Affected versionversion=82544d36b1729153c8aeb179e84750f0c085d3b1 <c2bbb905af2293549651b614a52ad91e0b462b60
- Affected versionversion=8bacd09f12c27710228562e4d13163e58c5f4a45 <89376fbfdcc1a728e1775f98752cdd90b0930a00
- Affected versionversion=bc6c380c1159de52a252ed11f19a42c47f60a735 <4d50ebe5a27724e020747ffd61a051dec67cb8ec
- Affected versionversion=cd0e707a927a70cdfd8bc5a512a9719a87f5ed51
- Affected versionversion=d844702198395d3f80222777030f69db6be6b709 <d127c7e1f3e1231d8ac8b2738e3f00bea12afe74
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
No sourced classifications are available.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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