Resource leak in Linux kernel SMB client after RDMA session failure
Key facts
- Attack vector
- —
- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
- —
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel SMB client leaks an RDMA connection object when cifs_get_tcp_session() fails after the connection is already set up. The error path frees the session without first destroying the RDMA connection. Linux kernel versions from 4.16 are affected before the fixed releases listed in the solution.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: fix smbd_connection leak on cifs_get_tcp_session() error When an RDMA connection is successfully established via smbd_get_connection() but cifs_get_tcp_session() later fails (e.g. kthread_create() returns an error), the error path frees tcp_ses without first destroying the smbd_connection. Fix this by calling smbd_destroy() in the out_err cleanup path before kfree(tcp_ses). smbd_destroy() safely handles the case where smbd_conn is NULL, so it can be called unconditionally.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Fixed Linux kernel releases are 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8 and 7.3. Red Hat's plan is none available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10 and OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98172
- 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-h5hv-w97x-4565
- 2026-10-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-07 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@45a97df1b7fe6c1ca5493f8fb5284203991aeeb9, Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected] +1 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 2 new references · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c295f6505aec085d73e8dcea9f648c8af1b9da8c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/45a97df1b7fe6c1ca5493f8fb5284203991aeeb9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3164402c58940ff58a3cecdb026405f07b0253af
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3344bb0ff5ec8a276f42239e140f5442841ef23
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c908e49d349266dff0c86dda6a05df0ff19b824
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/928edc4bd6a617caabeb575fc13c254d9df623c4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b26a3fcf2f1c2cadba400290b639f01395db8fc8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e75c96157d45e498970158c8f7373d90102e33b9
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98172 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98172 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-h5hv-w97x-4565 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98172 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences