CVE-2026-53198: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: fix use-after-free of a deferred file_lock on double SMB2

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: fix use-after-free of a deferred file_lock on double SMB2_CANCEL A deferred byte-ra

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: fix use-after-free of a deferred file_lock on double SMB2_CANCEL A deferred byte-range lock (an SMB2_LOCK that blocks) registers an async work on conn->async_requests via setup_async_work(), with cancel_fn = smb2_remove_blocked_lock and cancel_argv[0] pointing at the struct file_lock. When the request is cancelled, the worker frees the file_lock with locks_free_lock() and takes the cancelled early-exit, which "goto out"s and never reaches release_async_work() -- the only site that unlinks the work from conn->async_requests and clears cancel_fn/cancel_argv. The work therefore stays matchable on async_requests with a live cancel_fn pointing at the freed file_lock, until connection teardown finally runs release_async_work(). smb2_cancel() fires cancel_fn unconditionally with no state guard, so a second SMB2_CANCEL for the same AsyncId, arriving in that window, re-runs smb2_remove_blocked_lock() on the freed file_lock -- a slab use-after-free: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __locks_delete_block __locks_delete_block locks_delete_block ksmbd_vfs_posix_lock_unblock smb2_remove_blocked_loc

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

What it means for a small business

Linux is on the computers, phones or browsers your team uses every day. Turn on automatic updates and restart: most of these fixes only take effect after a restart.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.45%, higher than 38% of CVEs. That’s low, but low isn’t zero, and the odds jump the day someone publishes an exploit. Scored October 29, 2026, updated daily.

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Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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