Linux kernel smb client leaks dentry reference on non-regular inodes
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel smb client calls finish_open() in cifs_atomic_open() on an existing symlink or other non-regular inode found by an O_CREAT open, then attaches a cifsFileInfo to it. Symlink inodes have no CIFS release operation, so the dentry reference held by cifsFileInfo leaks. FMODE_OPENED also stops the VFS from following the symlink. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 8.8 (HIGH), with high confidentiality, integrity and availability impact.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: use finish_no_open() for non-regular inodes An O_CREAT open can find an existing symlink or another non-regular inode. cifs_atomic_open() calls finish_open() on it and attaches a cifsFileInfo. Symlink inodes have no CIFS release operation, so the dentry reference held by cifsFileInfo is leaked. FMODE_OPENED also prevents the VFS from following the symlink. Track whether cifs_do_create() returned an open server handle. For non-regular inodes, close the handle if present, remove the pending open, and call finish_no_open() so the VFS can continue the lookup. Do not set FMODE_CREATED unless a regular file was opened. For O_NOFOLLOW with __O_REGULAR, return -ELOOP before the VFS's -EFTYPE check. Defer closing a legacy POSIX handle on a non-regular inode until after inode lookup. This avoids closing it again if lookup fails.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Update to a fixed Linux kernel: 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.9 or 7.3, depending on your branch. Kernels from 3.6 onward are affected until they include the fix. Red Hat rates the issue Low. The sources list no fixed version for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10 or OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.9, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. 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
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98451
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-8vx8-gc8p-9x99
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-20 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-20 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/Linux@045532f920d86dd76600b635f9756e5fd671ddfc, Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-24 CVSS score added · CNA
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@26f4bca335e719e291995e28dc434de0145a6a54, Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected] +3 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 3 new references · CNA
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bc585d5a381ab49cb611c35dda93a997214ca874
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/26f4bca335e719e291995e28dc434de0145a6a54
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/51c7b0593f6eaba05349fd2a01a9cb4df7d7412f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/045532f920d86dd76600b635f9756e5fd671ddfc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed03d547598c92a036f20e89156540995cac889a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/70a7918fda54a06d836acc91eb9a3c7e860fe0a0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c07deb26273155c180aedfd9041ab58015d2521
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e66cf1625ec4a3fe68346119f371def713fd0a4d
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98451 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98451 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-8vx8-gc8p-9x99 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98451 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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