CVE-2026-74494
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: reject repeated SMB2 NEGOTIATE requests Unauthenticated client can send multiple successful SMB2 NEGOTIATE requests on o…
Overview
CVE-2026-74494 is a known-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 15, 2026.
Technical description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ksmbd: reject repeated SMB2 NEGOTIATE requests
Unauthenticated client can send multiple successful SMB2 NEGOTIATE
requests on one connection before SESSION_SETUP. While the connection is
in KSMBD_SESS_NEED_SETUP, smb2_handle_negotiate() accepts another
SMB3.1.1 NEGOTIATE and overwrites conn->preauth_info with a new allocation.
Only the final allocation is freed when the connection is released, leaking
one object for every additional successful request.
A repeated SMB2 NEGOTIATE after a dialect has been selected is a protocol
violation. MS-SMB2 section 3.3.5.4 requires the server to disconnect
without replying in this case. Set the connection exiting when rejecting
the request, in addition to suppressing the response.
Reject SMB2 NEGOTIATE unless the connection is new or is waiting for the
SMB2 NEGOTIATE that follows an SMB1 multi-protocol negotiate. Serialize
both SMB1 and SMB2 negotiation paths under conn->srv_mut
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
References
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Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2026-74494?
CVE-2026-74494 is a known-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 15, 2026.
How severe is CVE-2026-74494?
CVSS score information is not yet available for this vulnerability. Check back as the CVE record is updated by NVD analysts.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-74494?
Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-74494?
CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-74494 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.