CVE-2026-31613 — smb: client: fix OOB reads parsing symlink error response
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: fix OOB reads parsing symlink error response When a CREATE returns STATUS_STOPPED_ON_SYMLINK, smb2_check_message() returns success without any length validation, leaving the symlink parsers as the only defense against an untrusted server. symlink_data() walks SMB 3.1.1 error contexts with the loop test "p < end", but reads p->ErrorId at offset 4 and p->ErrorDataLength at offset 0. When the server-controlled ErrorDataLength advances p to within 1-7 bytes of end, the next iteration will read past it. When the matching context is found, sym->SymLinkErrorTag is read at offset 4 from p->ErrorContextData with no check that the symlink header itself fits. smb2_parse_symlink_response() then bounds-checks the substitute name using SMB2_SYMLINK_STRUCT_SIZE as the offset of PathBuffer from iov_base. That value is computed as sizeof(smb2_err_rsp) + sizeof(smb2_symlink_err_rsp), which is correct only when ErrorContextCount == 0. With at least one error context the symlink data sits 8 bytes deeper, and each skipped non-matching context shifts it further by 8 + ALIGN(ErrorDataLength, 8). The check is too short, allowing the substitute name read to run past iov_len. The out-of-bound heap bytes are UTF-16-decoded into the symlink target and returned to userspace via readlink(2). Fix this all up by making the loops test require the full context header to fit, rejecting sym if its header runs past end, and bound the substitute name against the actual position of sym->PathBuffer rather than a fixed offset. Because sub_offs and sub_len are 16bits, the pointer math will not overflow here with the new greater-than.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.4% (30-day exploitation probability)+5
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Exploitation requires user interaction: tighten email/web filtering and warn affected users.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
≥ 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 and < 043834e72337ee7b4e9685859888623ba1504ac7≥ 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 and < d65a64755a3df68a2fd19d2a81395e9f723aca23≥ 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 and < 20ac98f0eb6047edb73c9a27af782bdde08b3757≥ 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 and < e0dd90d14cbbf318157ea8e3fb62ee68a28655ed≥ 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 and < 781902e069f4ecb6c3b83502f181972c1446110a≥ 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 and < a66ef2e7ed837325c5600f8617d5ee0a0a149fdd≥ 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 and < 3df690bba28edec865cf7190be10708ad0ddd67eversion 2d046892a493d9760c35fdaefc3017f27f91b621 and 2 more≥ 6.0.16 and < 6.1version 6.1 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 6.1 and < 6.18.24≥ 6.19 and < 6.19.14≥ 7.0 and < 7.0.1 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.1 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 2.8 | 5.2 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 8.1 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 8.1 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 16, 2026 · 4 reading(s) · max 0.39%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- SSVC assessment updated
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 8.1
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
10 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a66ef2e7ed837325c5600f8617d5ee0a0a149fdd
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/781902e069f4ecb6c3b83502f181972c1446110a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e0dd90d14cbbf318157ea8e3fb62ee68a28655ed
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3df690bba28edec865cf7190be10708ad0ddd67e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/043834e72337ee7b4e9685859888623ba1504ac7
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-3w37-m4pg-q585
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-31613
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/20ac98f0eb6047edb73c9a27af782bdde08b3757
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-784472.html
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d65a64755a3df68a2fd19d2a81395e9f723aca23
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98430 RDMA/efa: Keep admin queues alive while IRQ is registered 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 2d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-31613 is "smb: client: fix OOB reads parsing symlink error response", rated High. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 8.1 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.39% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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