Highly exploitable, CVE-2026-49421 poses a critical security risk that could lead to severe breaches.
Status: Analyzed
Last updated: 🕗 01 Sep 2026, 20:20 UTC
Originally published on: 🕕 19 Aug 2026, 06:17 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 13 days
CVSS Release: version 3
134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
CVE-2026-49421: The kernel function that implements unlinkat(2) and funlinkat(2) validated the AT_RESOLVE_BENEATH flag but failed to pass it through to the underlying path lookup. The flag was silently dropped, so path resolution was not actually restricted. A process that uses AT_RESOLVE_BENEATH with unlinkat(2) or funlinkat(2) to confine path resolution can in fact resolve paths above the starting directory. A caller relying on this flag for path containment may delete files outside the intended directory tree.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-49421 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
CVE-2026-49421 presents an accessible attack vector with minimal effort required. Restricting access controls and implementing security updates are critical to reducing exploitation risks.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-49421, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-49421, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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