CVE-2026-23205: smb/client: fix memory leak in smb2_open_file()

Published Feb 14, 2026
·
Updated

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

smb/client: fix memory leak in smb2openfile()

Reproducer:

1. server: directories are exported read-only 2. client: mount -t cifs //${serverip}/export /mnt 3. client: dd if=/dev/zero of=/mnt/file bs=512 count=1000 oflag=direct 4. client: umount /mnt 5. client: sleep 1 6. client: modprobe -r cifs

The error message is as follows:

============================================================================= BUG cifssmallrq (Not tainted): Objects remaining on kmemcacheshutdown() -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Object 0x00000000d47521be @offset=14336 ... WARNING: mm/slub.c:1251 at kmemcacheshutdown+0x34e/0x440, CPU#0: modprobe/1577 ... Call Trace: <TASK> kmemcachedestroy+0x94/0x190 cifsdestroyrequestbufs+0x3e/0x50 [cifs] cleanupmodule+0x4e/0x540 [cifs] sesysdeletemodule+0x278/0x400 x64sysdeletemodule+0x5f/0x70 x64syscall+0x2299/0x2ff0 dosyscall64+0x89/0x350 entrySYSCALL64afterhwframe+0x76/0x7e ... kmemcachedestroy cifssmallrq: Slab cache still has objects when called from cifsdestroyrequestbufs+0x3e/0x50 [cifs] WARNING: mm/slabcommon.c:532 at kmemcachedestroy+0x16b/0x190, CPU#0: modprobe/1577

Affected Software

13 affected components
Linux Linux kernel
Linux Linux kernel>=6.1.141<6.1.163
Linux Linux kernel>=6.6.93<6.6.124
Linux Linux kernel>=6.12.31<6.12.70
Linux Linux kernel>=6.14.9<6.18.10
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc4
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc5
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc6
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc7
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc8

Event History

Feb 14, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·04:27 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·04:27 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·05:15 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-23205?

CVE-2026-23205 is rated as a medium severity vulnerability due to its potential impact on system performance through memory leaks.

2

How does CVE-2026-23205 affect the Linux kernel?

CVE-2026-23205 affects the Linux kernel by introducing a memory leak during the file opening process in the SMB2 client.

3

How do I fix CVE-2026-23205?

To fix CVE-2026-23205, you should update your Linux kernel to the latest version where the vulnerability has been patched.

4

Is CVE-2026-23205 exploitable remotely?

Yes, CVE-2026-23205 can be exploited remotely if a client connects to an affected SMB server.

5

What versions of the Linux kernel are affected by CVE-2026-23205?

CVE-2026-23205 impacts various versions of the Linux kernel, particularly those using the SMB2 protocol in client configurations.

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