---
id: "CVE-2026-98451"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98451"]
title: "Linux kernel SMB client: symlink open leaks a dentry reference"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["cifs", "linux-kernel", "package", "smb-client"]
not_affected_if: []
published_at: "2026-10-18T16:16:55+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T05:27:23+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98451", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel SMB client: symlink open leaks a dentry reference

When an O_CREAT open in the Linux kernel SMB client finds an existing symlink or other non-regular inode, it attaches a file handle with no release operation, leaking a dentry reference and stopping the VFS from following the symlink. The sources do not state a direct attacker impact beyond the reference leak and symlink-following change.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98451

## From the sources

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.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_