A severe Linux vulnerability dubbed 'Copy Fail' (CVE-2026-31431) allows any user to escalate privileges to administrator level, affecting nearly all distributions since 2017. The exploit uses a universal Python script requiring no distribution-specific adjustments, making it highly dangerous and difficult to detect. The flaw was uncovered with AI-assisted scanning by security firm Theori.
Background
Linux is a widely used open-source operating system kernel that powers servers, cloud infrastructure, and many embedded systems. Privilege escalation vulnerabilities are particularly critical as they can lead to full system compromise.
- Source
- The Verge
- Published
- May 2, 2026 at 12:55 AM
- Score
- 9.0 / 10