CVE-2026-97557

smb: client: avoid leaking refcount in cifs_queue_oplock_break()

Published Sep 25, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.5 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

smb: client: avoid leaking refcount in cifs_queue_oplock_break()

cifs_queue_oplock_break() unconditionally takes a reference on the
target file before queueing cifs_oplock_break(). Only that work item
decreases the reference counter again.

If another oplock break arrives while that work is still queued,
queue_work() will return false and not queue this second work item. As a
result, we will never reach the point to drop the file reference again
and are leaking this reference. This can be triggered when interacting
with a slow-responding server.

As a result, later unmount operations for this file system will fail with

BUG: Dentry ... still in use (1) [unmount of cifs cifs]
VFS: Busy inodes after unmount of cifs (cifs)
kernel BUG at fs/super.c:777!

Fix this by only incrementing the reference count if the work has been
queued successfully. Taking it after queue_work() is safe because all
three callers hold tcon->open_file_lock across the call and
_cifsFileInfo_put() decrements under that same lock, so a worker that
starts the handler in the window cannot drop the reference before it has
been taken.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4817-1 linux-6.12 security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4841-1 linux security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6528-1 linux security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9019-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9020-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9022-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9023-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9024-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9025-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9026-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9039-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9040-1 Linux kernel (Low Latency NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9066-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9091-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-399
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-399
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: avoid leaking refcount in cifs_queue_oplock_break() cifs_queue_oplock_break() unconditionally takes a reference on the target file before queueing cifs_oplock_break(). Only that work item decreases the reference counter again. If another oplock break arrives while that work is still queued, queue_work() will return false and not queue this second work item. As a result, we will never reach the point to drop the file reference again and are leaking this reference. This can be triggered when interacting with a slow-responding server. As a result, later unmount operations for this file system will fail with BUG: Dentry ... still in use (1) [unmount of cifs cifs] VFS: Busy inodes after unmount of cifs (cifs) kernel BUG at fs/super.c:777! Fix this by only incrementing the reference count if the work has been queued successfully. Taking it after queue_work() is safe because all three callers hold tcon->open_file_lock across the call and _cifsFileInfo_put() decrements under that same lock, so a worker that starts the handler in the window cannot drop the reference before it has been taken.
Title smb: client: avoid leaking refcount in cifs_queue_oplock_break()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Oct 30, 2026, 12:37 PM
Reserved
Sep 24, 2026, 4:01 PM
Status
Received
Published
Sep 25, 2026, 11:17 AM
Modified
Oct 30, 2026, 1:21 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Sep 25, 2026, 12:00 AM