CVE-2026-46185

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Server Message Block (SMB) client. This vulnerability arises from insufficient length validation in the smb2_check_message() function when processing symlink error responses. A remote attacker could exploit this by sending a specially crafted symlink error response, which may lead to an out-of-bounds read in the symlink_data() function. This could potentially result in information disclosure or a denial of service.

This vulnerability is rated as Moderate impact because exploitation requires a client system to connect to and process responses from a rogue or compromised SMB server. While the flaw could lead to kernel memory exposure or a denial of service through an out-of-bounds read, it cannot be triggered against non-client hosts or without an active SMB session to an untrusted endpoint. Systems that do not mount remote SMB shares or that strictly communicate with trusted file servers are not exposed to this risk during normal operations.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.