CVE-2026-90165Hinoki check available

Kernel crash via unchecked scavenger error pointer

Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026

Invalid pointer handling in Linux 6.11 ksmbd allows attackers to crash the kernel via reset after scavenger-thread creation fails. In fs/smb/server/vfs_cache.c, ksmbd_launch_ksmbd_durable_scavenger leaves an ERR_PTR in server_conf.dh_task and the running flag set, so ksmbd_stop_durable_scavenger passes that invalid pointer to kthread_stop. The path requires ksmbd, failed thread creation, and a subsequent server reset; upstream does not establish how attackers force those conditions.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

Invalid pointer handling in Linux 6.11 ksmbd allows attackers to crash the kernel via reset after scavenger-thread creation fails. In fs/smb/server/vfs_cache.c, ksmbd_launch_ksmbd_durable_scavenger leaves an ERR_PTR in server_conf.dh_task and the running flag set, so ksmbd_stop_durable_scavenger passes that invalid pointer to kthread_stop. The path requires ksmbd, failed thread creation, and a subsequent server reset; upstream does not establish how attackers force those conditions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-90165
Published
Sep 17, 2026
Updated
Sep 17, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.11
  2. Affected versionversion=6.6.142 <6.6.157
  3. Affected versionversion=7f0cb478703cbeaddfe5c9101c5c73cd975d1073 <3f8651f6bb52159c9e23993c77a2b51b9505ad64
  4. Affected versionversion=d484d621d40f4a8b8959008802d79bef3609641b <a2eb72b4d53bb9d8d6c00f3f794eaccb4b1ce5ed
  5. Affected versionversion=d484d621d40f4a8b8959008802d79bef3609641b <af9cb997d13a17029a0d3863e33f4c837e27a8ae
  6. Affected versionversion=d484d621d40f4a8b8959008802d79bef3609641b <b2d78c199dfd983638662ace0612d4fade3dbea1
  7. Affected versionversion=d484d621d40f4a8b8959008802d79bef3609641b <bef46b604732d83f8da29f782868de4d25bf972c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.11; version=6.6.142 <6.6.157; version=7f0cb478703cbeaddfe5c9101c5c73cd975d1073 <3f8651f6bb52159c9e23993c77a2b51b9505ad64; version=d484d621d40f4a8b8959008802d79bef3609641b <a2eb72b4d53bb9d8d6c00f3f794eaccb4b1ce5ed; version=d484d621d40f4a8b8959008802d79bef3609641b <af9cb997d13a17029a0d3863e33f4c837e27a8ae; version=d484d621d40f4a8b8959008802d79bef3609641b <b2d78c199dfd983638662ace0612d4fade3dbea1; version=d484d621d40f4a8b8959008802d79bef3609641b <bef46b604732d83f8da29f782868de4d25bf972c

Published CVSS scores

6.6TenableAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:N/A:C
5.5TenableCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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