CVE-2026-89638: Linux kernel · smb: client: clear setuid/setgid bit on write with cifsacl/modefromsid/posix extensions
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 7% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 11 Sep 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?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?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 fix is available that corrects the handling of mode attributes in the CIFS client code to ensure cleared setuid/setgid bits are propagated to the server for all affected mount options. Users should update to a Linux kernel version that includes this fix. Since this is a kernel vulnerability, applying the official kernel update is the recommended remediation.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's CIFS client implementation caused the setuid and setgid bits on files to persist after writes when using certain mount options (cifsacl, modefromsid, or SMB3.1.1 POSIX extensions). Normally, these bits are cleared on write to prevent privilege escalation, but due to improper handling of mode attributes, the cleared bits were not propagated to the server, allowing the bits to survive and potentially enable privilege escalation. This issue affects specific Linux kernel versions and has been resolved by ensuring the cleared mode is properly pushed to the server in all relevant cases.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89638 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/69bfe810ecd1e0387d8975d711cd326341d13c6e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b10015807e4c628095d1d1d1c9307efc8cdd9e1b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b8e5dc4f95e5484159b343903f302eb6d783f2e6 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-89638 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-89638 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/b8e5dc4f95e5484159b343903f302eb6d783f2e6 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/58b23fc9fb580432470d6c5da3c1e5660dba9fbc (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7ceb6f7cb8f8f2b094e0dcdaf75757775d231378 (opens in a new tab)