Critical Linux Exploit 'CopyFail' Gives Hackers Root Access

A newly discovered Linux exploit called 'CopyFail' allows hackers to gain root access to countless computers. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-31431, has been patched but many machines remain at risk.

The exploit, which was publicly disclosed on Wednesday, uses a Python script that works across all vulnerable Linux distributions, requiring 'no per-distro offsets, no version checks, no recompilation.' This makes it …

The stakes are high, as an attacker who already has some way to run code on a machine, even as an unprivileged user, can use the CopyFail exploit to promote themselves to root. From there, they can read every file, in…