# CVE-2026-68083: ksmbd: fix path resolution in ksmbd_vfs_kern_path_create

> An authenticated attacker can escape the SMB share directory via a race condition in path resolution, allowing unauthorized file access or modification.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-95225, BELL-CVE-2026-68083, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-68083, GHSA-fxqh-hm36-rrq9, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68083

## What is CVE-2026-68083?

CVE-2026-68083 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ksmbd: fix path resolution in ksmbd_vfs_kern_path_create

The SMB2 open lookup is rooted at the share with LOOKUP_BENEATH, but the
create/mkdir/hardlink sink is not: ksmbd_vfs_kern_path_create() builds an
absolute path with convert_to_unix_name() and resolves it from AT_FDCWD
via start_creating_path(), so a ".." component is walked from the real
filesystem root and escapes the export.

An authenticated client races a missing path component so the rooted open
lookup returns -ENOENT (taking the create branch) while the same component
is present (a directory) when the create walk runs; the create then
resolves ".." out of the share.

Root the create walk at the share like the lookup and rename paths already
are: resolve the parent with vfs_path_parent_lookup(..., LOOKUP_BENEATH,
&share_conf->vfs_path) and create the final component with
start_creating_noperm(). convert_to_unix_name() then has no callers and is
removed.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-68083?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-68083?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-68083 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68083 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-68083 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-68083 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68083 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68083/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68083/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-68083
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-68083
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-68083

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68083/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.