Kerry Wan/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET key takeaways Copy Fail is a dangerous Linux vulnerability. This flaw makes gaining root access easy for attackers. Copy Fail affects millions of Linux systems. CVE-2026-31431, also known as Copy Fail , is a critical Linux kernel vulnerability that's been hiding out since 2017 and is now getting the security spotlight it deserves. Also: This simple Linux tweak fixes crashes automatically - and it costs me nothing Oftentimes, Linux vulnerabilities can be a bit overblown, but not in this case. Copy Fail is serious business and should be considered an issue that must be mitigated. What is Copy Fail? Let's talk about Copy Fail in terms that anyone can understand. Imagine your computer's memory as a chalkboard, where a teacher keeps track of your grades in real time. You don't allow students to use either chalk or erasers, so they can't change their grades.…