CVE-2026-53287 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 06/26/2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
audit: fix incorrect inheritable capability in CAPSET records
__audit_log_capset() records the effective capability set into the inheritable field due to a copy-paste error. Every CAPSET audit record therefore reports cap_pi (process inheritable) with the value of cap_effective instead of cap_inheritable.
This silently corrupts audit data used for compliance and forensic analysis: an attacker who modifies inheritable capabilities to prepare for a privilege-escalating exec would have the change masked in the audit trail.
The bug has been present since the original introduction of CAPSET audit records in 2008.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2026
The vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel represents a critical flaw in the audit subsystem that fundamentally compromises the integrity of security logging mechanisms. This issue specifically affects how capability sets are recorded in CAPSET audit events, creating a persistent data corruption problem that has existed for over a decade. The flaw manifests as a copy-paste error within the __audit_log_capset() function where the effective capability set is incorrectly written to the inheritable field of audit records. This technical error directly violates the fundamental principles of proper security auditing by misrepresenting the actual capability state of processes, thereby creating misleading audit trails that fail to accurately reflect system security posture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data corruption, as it severely undermines compliance monitoring and forensic investigation capabilities across enterprise environments. According to CWE-254, this represents a weakness in the security audit process where incorrect information is recorded, potentially leading to false negatives in security assessments. The misclassification affects privilege escalation detection specifically, since attackers who manipulate inheritable capabilities to prepare for elevated privilege execution would have their actions obscured in audit logs. This creates a blind spot in security monitoring that could allow malicious actors to bypass detection mechanisms while maintaining operational stealth.
From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability directly impacts T1070 (Indicator Removal on Host) and T1562.006 (Impair Defenses) by compromising the integrity of audit trails that should provide evidence of privilege escalation attempts. The silent nature of this corruption means that security analysts would not immediately recognize the data inconsistency, allowing attackers to maintain persistent access without detection. The long-standing presence of this bug since 2008 indicates a systemic issue in code review processes and testing protocols within kernel development, where such fundamental logical errors in security-critical components were not identified during extensive code reviews or automated testing.
The remediation process requires careful attention to ensure that capability set handling logic is corrected without introducing new vulnerabilities. Organizations must consider the implications of this flaw on existing audit policies and compliance frameworks, particularly those requiring detailed tracking of privilege changes. The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly minor coding errors can have significant security consequences, emphasizing the importance of rigorous code quality assurance in kernel-level security components. Security teams should review their current audit configurations and validate that historical data reflects accurate capability states, as this corruption could affect forensic analysis of past incidents where capability modifications were involved.