In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: fix use-after-free of signing key Customers have reported use-after-free in @ses->auth_key.response with SMB2.1 + sign mounts which occurs due to following race: task A task B cifs_mount() dfs_mount_share() get_session() cifs_mount_get_session() cifs_send_recv() cifs_get_smb_ses() compound_send_recv() cifs_setup_session() smb2_setup_request() kfree_sensitive() smb2_calc_signature() crypto_shash_setkey() *UAF* Fix this by ensuring that we have a valid @ses->auth_key.response by checking whether @ses->ses_status is SES_GOOD or SES_EXITING with @ses->ses_lock held. After commit 24a9799aa8ef ("smb: client: fix UAF in smb2_reconnect_server()"), we made sure to call ->logoff() only when @ses was known to be good (e.g. valid ->auth_key.response), so it's safe to access signing key when @ses->ses_status == SES_EXITING.
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.