---
id: CVE-2026-98451
title: >-
  kernel: smb: client: use finish_no_open() for non-regular inodes
  (CVE-2026-98451)
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's SMB client. A local user can trigger
  this issue by opening an existing symbolic link or non-regular file on an SMB
  mount using file creation flags. Because the client improperly handles
  non-regular fi…
severity: low
cvss: 3.3
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-772
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 8
  - enterprise_linux 9
  - openshift_container_platform 4
published: '2026-10-18'
updated: '2026-10-24'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-24T14:23:45+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98451.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98451.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-98451'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2554898'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98451'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98451'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-98451.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/045532f920d86dd76600b635f9756e5fd671ddfc'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed03d547598c92a036f20e89156540995cac889a'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/70a7918fda54a06d836acc91eb9a3c7e860fe0a0'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c07deb26273155c180aedfd9041ab58015d2521'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e66cf1625ec4a3fe68346119f371def713fd0a4d'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
  - score-dispute
epss: 0.00354
epssPercentile: 0.2891
scores:
  vendor: 3.3
  cna: 8.8
ingestedAt: '2026-10-18T15:45:12.305Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's SMB client. A local user can trigger this issue by opening an existing symbolic link or non-regular file on an SMB mount using file creation flags. Because the client improperly handles non-regular files during open operations, it fails to release directory entry references. This flaw leads to a resource leak, which can result in a denial of service (DoS) through resource exhaustion.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Low · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · updated 2026-10-24 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98451.json)

**kernel: smb: client: use finish_no_open() for non-regular inodes** — rated Low by Red Hat. Released 2026-10-18, updated 2026-10-24.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

## Remediation

Fix deferred