CVE-2025-71239 audit: add fchmodat2() to change attributes class
Attackers can bypass audit logging rules by using the fchmodat2() system call to modify file attributes without detection.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2025-71239?
CVE-2025-71239 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 17 Mar 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
audit: add fchmodat2() to change attributes class
fchmodat2(), introduced in version 6.6 is currently not in the change attribute class of audit. Calling fchmodat2() to change a file attribute in the same fashion than chmod() or fchmodat() will bypass audit rules such as:
-w /tmp/test -p rwa -k test_rwa
The current patch adds fchmodat2() to the change attributes class.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-71239?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-71239?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2025-71239 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-71239 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as AZL-79914, BELL-CVE-2025-71239, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-71239, GHSA-h5q3-ggp6-vf4c, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2025-71239, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2025-71239 and 4 more.