CVE-2026-46139: Linux kernel · smb: client: use kzalloc to zero-initialize security descriptor buffer
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium · patch available : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 12:55 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 1% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 28 May 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux@7.0.0-28.28?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws@7.0.0-1008.8?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure@7.0.0-1009.9?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde@7.0.0-1008.8?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp@7.0.0-1008.8?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke@7.0.0-1003.4?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
A patch is available and should be applied to affected linux-hwe-edge kernel versions. The fix changes the allocation of the security descriptor buffer to use kzalloc(), ensuring zero-initialization and preventing the issue. Users should update to the fixed kernel versions as indicated in the vendor advisory.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's SMB client was fixed by changing the memory allocation function from kmalloc() to kzalloc() to ensure zero-initialization of the security descriptor buffer. The issue involved an uninitialized reserved field in the SMB ACL structure, which could cause Samba to reject security descriptors and result in chmod failures. This flaw affects specific versions of the linux-hwe-edge kernel and has a medium severity rating with no known exploits in the wild.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-46139 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46139 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/5e489c6c47a2ac15edbaca153b9348e42c1eacab (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4c3ed344a970aad51388ac3b0145b98318f0e21f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5e489c6c47a2ac15edbaca153b9348e42c1eacab (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/941a1e6eb35440336913afc88a82103291956d5d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9bdb2ca31368b7671949dfb94a5d57ffccd01edd (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/be1ef9512a3f5a755895c24f31b334342f4aa15b (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8566-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8568-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8569-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8567-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8574-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8593-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8574-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8595-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8596-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8603-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8595-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8606-1 (opens in a new tab)