Data exposure via incomplete post-EOF cache invalidation
Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026
Stale cache data in the Linux 5.1 SMB client allows local users to expose post-EOF bytes through zero-range file extension. In smb3_zero_range(), cache invalidation starts at the zero-range offset, leaving the folio spanning the old EOF intact when that offset is higher. Exposure requires mmap-dirtied bytes beyond EOF and a subsequent zero-range extension; those cached bytes become visible as file content.
Summary
What happened
Stale cache data in the Linux 5.1 SMB client allows local users to expose post-EOF bytes through zero-range file extension. In smb3_zero_range(), cache invalidation starts at the zero-range offset, leaving the folio spanning the old EOF intact when that offset is higher. Exposure requires mmap-dirtied bytes beyond EOF and a subsequent zero-range extension; those cached bytes become visible as file content.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98686
- Published
- Oct 18, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 18, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 18, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=5.1
- Affected versionversion=72c419d9b073628d3b5b0b2fc787b724f1a8c726 <6a8279c98ad289b27c0bdb11adb3f0c0b7fd456d
- Affected versionversion=72c419d9b073628d3b5b0b2fc787b724f1a8c726 <94949b6b2f2bf0dba2e8786aed0b08cc6bc3a183
- Affected versionversion=72c419d9b073628d3b5b0b2fc787b724f1a8c726 <b75dadb50a25eed525264bf6fea44fad94e7626f
- Affected versionversion=72c419d9b073628d3b5b0b2fc787b724f1a8c726 <da4fe97fb6c730d9c94a115c7bfa6f98e0d578d0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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.
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Get started