CVE-2026-23205
5.5 · MEDIUMOverview
CVE-2026-23205 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting linux linux_kernel. It was published on February 14, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
smb/client: fix memory leak in smb2_open_file()
Reproducer:
1. server: directories are exported read-only
2. client: mount -t cifs //${server_ip}/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 cifs_small_rq (Not tainted): Objects remaining on __kmem_cache_shutdown()
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Object 0x00000000d47521be @offset=14336
...
WARNING: mm/slub.c:1251 at __kmem_cache_shutdown+0x34e/0x440, CPU#0: modprobe/1577
...
Call Trace:
<TASK>
kmem_cache_destroy+0x94/0x190
cifs_destroy_request_bufs+0x3e/0x50 [cifs]
cleanup_module+0x4e/0x540 [cifs]
__se_sys_delete_module+0x278/0x400
__x64_sys_delete_module
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from linux. Update linux_kernel to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | >= 6.1.141, < 6.1.163 | Affected |
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-23205?
CVE-2026-23205 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting linux linux_kernel. It was published on February 14, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2026-23205?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-23205?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from linux. Update linux_kernel to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-23205?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2026-23205 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
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