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CVE-2026-97558

Linux: smb: client: fix cifsFileInfo reference leak in deferred close

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.21%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 11% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in525c225e23d61694091f2806de553a69362a78ffAlso 5520e89a5a4f834bced64cf2ac927001cc513a40CVE List
Published25 Sep 2026Updated 21 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 525c225e23d61694091f2806de553a69362a78ffLinuxCVE List
  • 5520e89a5a4f834bced64cf2ac927001cc513a40LinuxCVE List

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

smb: client: fix cifsFileInfo reference leak in deferred close

When cifs_close() defers a close, it hands the cifsFileInfo reference of the closing struct file to the queued work. Each execution of smb2_deferred_work_close() drops one such reference.

deferred_close_scheduled can be false while the work is pending: the workqueue clears PENDING when the callback starts to run, before the callback clears the flag under deferred_lock. A close in that interval requeues the running work, and the callback then clears the flag, leaving the requeued work pending with the flag down. A later cifs_open() can reuse the handle and its cifs_close() reaches the same branch: queue_delayed_work() fails because the work is still pending, but cifs_close() returns without dropping the closing file's reference. The cifsFileInfo count stays pinned and its tlink, dentry and server handle are leaked.

Check the return value and hand off the reference only when work was actually queued. Otherwise, use the shared _cifsFileInfo_put(), like the mod_delayed_work() branch above: the pending execution already owns its reference.

This issue was found by an in-house static analysis tool.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 12

  • Linuxaffected: c3f207ab29f793b8c942ce8067ed123f18d5b81b before 525c225e23d61694091f2806de553a69362a78ffCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: c3f207ab29f793b8c942ce8067ed123f18d5b81b before bbeb7a42c9ea656e17ddcbdc2d7917aa853383a6CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: c3f207ab29f793b8c942ce8067ed123f18d5b81b before a6767712902beb0f53238be485971c9a83ea1079CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: c3f207ab29f793b8c942ce8067ed123f18d5b81b before ea93759d6c2789924f4e557aed5be532207715eaCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: c3f207ab29f793b8c942ce8067ed123f18d5b81b before 5520e89a5a4f834bced64cf2ac927001cc513a40CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 5.13CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 5.13CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.160 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.113 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.54 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.7 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 5