CVE-2015-8953: fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c in the Linux kernel before 4.2.6 uses an incorrect cleanup code path, which allows l...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This is a Linux kernel overlayfs denial-of-service issue. A local user can trigger a dentry reference leak through filesystem operations involving a large lower-layer overlayfs file. The business risk is resource exhaustion or host instability, especially on shared Linux or container hosts using overlayfs. Exposure is most likely on older Linux systems running kernels before 4.2.6 with overlayfs enabled or used by container/storage workflows. The source bundle does not identify specific vendor package versions or supported distribution backports. Treat this as a targeted maintenance risk, not an emergency, unless older overlayfs-enabled Linux hosts are shared with untrusted users. Remediation should be folded into kernel update programs and prioritized for container infrastructure. Mitigation focus: Update affected Linux kernels using vendor-supported packages or upstream fixes containing the overlayfs patch.; Prioritize shared hosts, container platforms, and systems where untrusted local users can access overlayfs-backed filesystems.; Use distribution advisories to confirm whether the fix was backported to older supported kernel packages..

Prepared

Jun 13, 2026, 13:39 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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