---
title: "CVE-2026-98980: Linux Kernel - Information Disclosure"
description: "Linux kernel contains a vulnerability in namei refwalk caused by revealing overmounted entries due to missing validation after unlink in refwalk, letting attackers read underlying entries during mountpoint unlink, exploit requires race condition with unlink and refwalk."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-98980/
---

# CVE-2026-98980 Linux Kernel - Information Disclosure

Linux kernel contains a vulnerability in namei refwalk caused by revealing overmounted entries due to missing validation after unlink in refwalk, letting attackers read underlying entries during mountpoint unlink, exploit requires race condition with unlink and refwalk.

CVSS base score 8.8 /10

High

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Required

EPSS

0.21% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98980)

## Details

Type

Information Disclosure

Impact

Information Disclosure

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Published

23 October 2026

Updated

25 October 2026

## Vendor fix

Update to the latest Linux kernel version containing the patch for namei refwalk validation.

Patching closes this CVE. It does not tell you which of your systems run the affected version, or what else is exposed alongside them.

## References

- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98980](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98980)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5f97df8ca7fadf5b53954f50073445ba193902c0](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5f97df8ca7fadf5b53954f50073445ba193902c0)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8189ab688f5a2c745dc90b63374da02f213d6994](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8189ab688f5a2c745dc90b63374da02f213d6994)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b43ff2deef48260bfbdc0dcb520f7929bd3e4007](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b43ff2deef48260bfbdc0dcb520f7929bd3e4007)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e2b10181d913b4efa3a8dc67a532f859aa5f95e0](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e2b10181d913b4efa3a8dc67a532f859aa5f95e0)

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## What this record can't tell you

- Whether you run the affected software, and where
- Whether an attacker can actually reach and exploit it
- The misconfigurations that never get a CVE number
- What it would cost the business, ranked into what to fix first

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