CVE-2008-2931: The do_change_type function in fs/namespace.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.22 does not verify that the ca...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2008-2931 is an old Linux kernel flaw where a local user could change mountpoint behavior without the required administrator capability. On vulnerable systems, this could let a non-admin user gain higher privileges or disrupt service. It matters mainly for legacy or unsupported Linux hosts. Exposure is likely limited to systems running unpatched Linux kernels before 2.6.22, or vendor kernels that did not include the backported fix. A local user or local process context is required; this is not described as remotely exploitable. Prioritize remediation for legacy Linux systems with multiple users or untrusted workloads. For modern supported systems, verify patch status during normal vulnerability management. No source in the bundle supports active exploitation. Mitigation focus: Apply the relevant vendor kernel security update or later supported kernel.; Confirm vendor kernels include the upstream CAP_SYS_ADMIN check fix.; Retire unsupported legacy Linux distributions where fixes cannot be verified..

Prepared

Jun 28, 2026, 18:52 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.