In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: close handle after create-context parsing failure SMB2_open()… (CVE-2026-98453)

The vulnerability in the Linux kernel SMB client involves the SMB2_open() function treating a successful CREATE response as a remote open before parsing its create contexts. If smb2_parse_contexts() rejects malformed context data, SMB2_open() returns without closing the handle, leaving the server-side handle open and num_remote_opens elevated. The resolution involves closing the handle after a post-CREATE context parsing failure to release the remote resource and balance the open count.

The vulnerability could lead to resource leakage on the server side by leaving handles open when malformed context data is encountered during SMB2 open operations. This may cause elevated counts of remote opens, potentially impacting resource management or stability on the server. There is no indication of direct exploitation or further impact such as code execution or privilege escalation.

A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to close handles after create-context parsing failures in SMB2_open(). Users should apply the official Linux kernel updates that include this fix to remediate the issue. No additional mitigation steps are indicated.