Out-of-bounds reads in Linux kernel SMB client create contexts
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · 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 is affected from version 3.7 before the fixed releases listed in the solution. The create context parser smb2_parse_contexts() does not limit each record to its Next field before dispatching it, so a malformed chain can expose bytes beyond the current context to a handler. The lease context parsers read LeaseState and LeaseFlags at canonical offsets instead of DataOffset, so crafted data can make them read unrelated in-bounds data. A remote attacker without privileges can trigger this, but it requires user interaction.
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: fix create context out-of-bounds reads smb2_parse_contexts() validates the complete create-context area but does not limit each record to its Next field before dispatching it. A malformed chain can therefore expose bytes beyond the current context to a handler. The QFid handler also used a full response-structure cast although it only reads DiskFileId. The SMB2/SMB3 lease parsers made the same layout assumption: they read LeaseState and LeaseFlags at canonical offsets rather than at DataOffset. A valid non-canonical DataOffset could therefore yield unrelated in-bounds data, while a short DataLength was still accepted. Limit each context to its Next value, reject offsets before the context header, and reject malformed chains. Bound the name range by the current context and do not dispatch a known handler when DataLength is zero. Read the QFid DiskFileId only when the context data covers that field. Parse the lease context from DataOffset and require DataLength to match the v1 or v2 lease_context size used by ksmbd. A size mismatch skips lease parsing without failing the open.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Update the Linux kernel to 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9 or 7.3, depending on the branch in use. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 are affected, and Red Hat has no fix plan for them.
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, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 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
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98454
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-q4c4-v5h3-5c35
- 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
- 2026-10-24 CVSS score added · CNA
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@0a8c2a6715c2a67b7abbbf874fccc9f5518146d9, Linux/Linux@34245048d6c1fa6d7be4f0dec1d14b5be02360e1, Linux/Linux@43d0ca48bb902d554b6531862248810d2ae3b8ef +3 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 3 new references · CNA
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/34245048d6c1fa6d7be4f0dec1d14b5be02360e1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0a8c2a6715c2a67b7abbbf874fccc9f5518146d9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/43d0ca48bb902d554b6531862248810d2ae3b8ef
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e4c49012708c917eafd9c27054b02d0f8b30fe64
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/28bc9a871799363afa3139e961a8e3684feb8704
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/05a7fd80024ff32b9b40ab1478bb172eeab1c386
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cecc5399987e73a528ce2b662eeb54af69163cbd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/67f4c1c6a1b51e203d986779299824d1c2c590a6
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98454 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98454 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q4c4-v5h3-5c35 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98454 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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