CVE-2026-98451

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.

This vulnerability is rated as Low impact because exploitation is constrained to authenticated local users who have access to an active CIFS/SMB filesystem mount, presenting minimal risk to typical systems where network shares are unmounted. An unprivileged attacker can only cause gradual memory leakage by invoking file creation routines on non-regular filesystem objects, rather than achieving privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution. Upstream CVSS metrics overestimate the severity by presuming remote vector applicability, whereas Red Hat platforms require local execution on an already established client connection.

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.