---
id: CVE-2026-89636
title: 'kernel: smb: client: clear ce->tgthint in free_tgts() (CVE-2026-89636)'
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Server Message Block (SMB) client. When
  the `free_tgts()` function frees data structures, a pointer (`ce->tgthint`) is
  not properly reset, leaving it pointing to a memory location that has already
  bee…
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 8
  - enterprise_linux 9
  - openshift_container_platform 4
published: '2026-09-11'
updated: '2026-09-18'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-18T20:22:51+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-89636.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-89636.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-89636'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2532294'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-89636'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89636'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-89636.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/14f60e959b5ac813715ff72e127beb3584ddabf6'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3ff9462bb7a06d8d32a1dc02d39580b078ec9e55'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7507bd1885643d0461a6017767492450af1ce2a3'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9ab46a13798a61d9d020b01d4e57efdabe6624fa'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5baab40404a9393bcc0b7b8f1950bf2c307e0984'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b1b741cf8e7ce1b91d937e23decd3d3358748700'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
  - score-dispute
epss: 0.00701
epssPercentile: 0.51117
scores:
  vendor: 7
  cna: 9.8
ingestedAt: '2026-09-14T15:23:07.450Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Server Message Block (SMB) client. When the `free_tgts()` function frees data structures, a pointer (`ce->tgthint`) is not properly reset, leaving it pointing to a memory location that has already been deallocated. If this pointer is subsequently used, it can lead to a use-after-free vulnerability. This could potentially allow a local attacker to cause a denial of service or escalate privileges.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · updated 2026-09-18 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-89636.json)

**kernel: smb: client: clear ce->tgthint in free_tgts()** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-09-11, updated 2026-09-18.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

## Remediation

Affected