---
id: CVE-2026-80981
title: >-
  kernel: net/smc: fix use-after-free of the LLC qentry in
  smc_llc_srv_add_link() (CVE-2026-80981)
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's net/smc component. A local attacker
  could exploit a use-after-free vulnerability in the `smc_llc_srv_add_link()`
  function, where a freed memory region is improperly accessed. This can lead to
  memory c…
severity: high
cvss: 7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-825
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 9
  - openshift_container_platform 4
published: '2026-09-11'
updated: '2026-09-14'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-14T19:18:50+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-80981.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-80981.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-80981'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2532104'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-80981'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-80981'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-80981.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a42a459ef0e54cb0c4b3e43e21cb0e658e664f64'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/adef84cc85d449ac28d2b4b4c49cf19619c56e27'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c52a998a223e7e84333306996edec096178d1e95'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
  - score-dispute
epss: 0.00631
epssPercentile: 0.47985
scores:
  vendor: 5.2
  cna: 9.8
ingestedAt: '2026-09-14T15:23:07.476Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's net/smc component. A local attacker could exploit a use-after-free vulnerability in the `smc_llc_srv_add_link()` function, where a freed memory region is improperly accessed. This can lead to memory corruption and potentially result in a denial of service (DoS).

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · updated 2026-09-14 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-80981.json)

**kernel: net/smc: fix use-after-free of the LLC qentry in smc_llc_srv_add_link()** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-09-11, updated 2026-09-14.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

## Remediation

Affected