Critical Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in cifs-utils Package

cifs-utils Updated 15 Jul 2026

Summary

15/07/2026

Disclosed on

N/A

Severity

Yes i

Fix available

High

Severity

7.8

CVSS Score

RLSA-2026:39576: Important: cifs-utils security, bug fix, and enhancement update. Affects cifs-utils versions < 0:7.6-2.el9_8. Fixed in 0:7.6-2.el9_8. How to fix ↓

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Background

The cifs-utils package is essential for Linux systems to mount and manage SMB/CIFS shares, allowing seamless file sharing with Windows machines. It provides tools that interact with the Linux kernel to enable users to treat remote shares as local file systems. This functionality is crucial for environments that rely on cross-platform file sharing, making cifs-utils a vital component in many enterprise and personal setups.

Vulnerability Detail

The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-12505 allows for local privilege escalation through a forged cifs.spnego key description in the cifs.upcall utility. This flaw can be exploited by local users to gain elevated privileges, potentially compromising the entire system. The ramifications of this vulnerability are severe, as it could allow unauthorized access to sensitive data and system resources, leading to data breaches or system integrity issues.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

0:7.6-2.el9_8

This is the first release that contains the fix.

sudo dnf update cifs-utils

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Workaround

As a temporary workaround, users can restrict access to the cifs-utils tools or limit the permissions of users who can execute these tools until the package is updated. This can be done by modifying user permissions in the system settings.

Conclusion

The cifs-utils package is critical for file sharing between Linux and Windows systems. The identified vulnerability, CVE-2026-12505, poses a significant risk of local privilege escalation. It is essential to update to the patched version to safeguard your system against potential exploitation. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor and manage vulnerabilities effectively.

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