CVE-2026-98388Hinoki check available

Process hang via close-on-exec lock ordering

Published Oct 14, 2026 · Updated Oct 14, 2026

Deadlock in Linux exec handling allows attackers to hang processes via filesystem replies during close-on-exec descriptor cleanup. In fs/exec.c, begin_new_exec() calls do_close_on_exec() while holding exec_update_lock, allowing filesystem flush handlers to wait while process-state inspection needs the same lock. Exposure requires a stalled filesystem or a FUSE daemon that inspects the calling process during descriptor closure; the documented consequence is blocked lock-dependent paths, not a system-wide crash.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

Deadlock in Linux exec handling allows attackers to hang processes via filesystem replies during close-on-exec descriptor cleanup. In fs/exec.c, begin_new_exec() calls do_close_on_exec() while holding exec_update_lock, allowing filesystem flush handlers to wait while process-state inspection needs the same lock. Exposure requires a stalled filesystem or a FUSE daemon that inspects the calling process during descriptor closure; the documented consequence is blocked lock-dependent paths, not a system-wide crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-98388
Published
Oct 14, 2026
Updated
Oct 14, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 14, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=4bfe8c481846cee52473a2f7d7b30ee8e6749fc4 <0d86cd6b709c39216e6ee5ea8f0fc4242bbb2b53
  2. Affected versionversion=5.10.261 <5.10.271
  3. Affected versionversion=5.15.212 <5.15.222
  4. Affected versionversion=6.1.178 <6.1.189
  5. Affected versionversion=6.12.97 <6.12.111
  6. Affected versionversion=6.18.40 <6.18.53
  7. Affected versionversion=6.6.145 <6.6.158
  8. Affected versionversion=6650527444dadc63d84aa939d14ecba4fadb2f69 <63be3d8511bdafa095cd14a393cbf3c58dbbb928
  9. Affected versionversion=6650527444dadc63d84aa939d14ecba4fadb2f69 <e780259b54e618ceb4763fbc21314acf3565e813
  10. Affected versionversion=7.1.4 <7.2
  11. Affected versionversion=7.2
  12. Affected versionversion=7456ae990a9738962b33146916fabca62ae3d4e0 <3feb4020bfb7ccf0d347f27051639d25e19cd65d
  13. Affected versionversion=ae1e630bcaac739f625822078edbaea98366930d <955973fff4a36d39a848b00cac1706863f568fe1
  14. Affected versionversion=bb43679356f1f2a4c6b1c88aec4f021e5b5c74e9 <5aacc19ba2b1faf84c4a2f2cf9a1784e03d1ff38
  15. Affected versionversion=c1cfd63326f5d09999134e9052c353faf738286e
  16. Affected versionversion=d54f14655fd7d7b293698a8b6918563c4c0465e7 <550feab5b01000ab314868b62211fb3ddfd600e8
  17. Affected versionversion=f9b4b03ccc9c69bf7f7298d4559906ebea7143b3 <19ddef61ee0a49782a60f8f497e50597ad5de2da

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4bfe8c481846cee52473a2f7d7b30ee8e6749fc4 <0d86cd6b709c39216e6ee5ea8f0fc4242bbb2b53; version=5.10.261 <5.10.271; version=5.15.212 <5.15.222; version=6.1.178 <6.1.189; version=6.12.97 <6.12.111; version=6.18.40 <6.18.53; version=6.6.145 <6.6.158; version=6650527444dadc63d84aa939d14ecba4fadb2f69 <63be3d8511bdafa095cd14a393cbf3c58dbbb928; version=6650527444dadc63d84aa939d14ecba4fadb2f69 <e780259b54e618ceb4763fbc21314acf3565e813; version=7.1.4 <7.2; version=7.2; version=7456ae990a9738962b33146916fabca62ae3d4e0 <3feb4020bfb7ccf0d347f27051639d25e19cd65d; version=ae1e630bcaac739f625822078edbaea98366930d <955973fff4a36d39a848b00cac1706863f568fe1; version=bb43679356f1f2a4c6b1c88aec4f021e5b5c74e9 <5aacc19ba2b1faf84c4a2f2cf9a1784e03d1ff38; version=c1cfd63326f5d09999134e9052c353faf738286e; version=d54f14655fd7d7b293698a8b6918563c4c0465e7 <550feab5b01000ab314868b62211fb3ddfd600e8; version=f9b4b03ccc9c69bf7f7298d4559906ebea7143b3 <19ddef61ee0a49782a60f8f497e50597ad5de2da

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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