CVE-2026-72185
Received Received - Intake

Heap Buffer Overflow in Linux Kernel NTFS Driver

Publication date: 2026-08-15

Last updated on: 2026-08-15

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: fix WARN_ON for resident attribute in ntfs_map_runlist_nolock() When ntfs_map_runlist_nolock() needs to look up the attribute extent containing a target VCN (ctx_needs_reset == true), it calls ntfs_attr_lookup() and then expects the result to be a non-resident attribute, since only non-resident attributes have a mapping pairs array to decompress. A crafted NTFS image can place a resident attribute where a non-resident one is expected, causing ntfs_attr_lookup() to succeed but return a resident attribute record. Previously this was caught only by a WARN_ON(), which does not stop execution. The code then falls through to read a->data.non_resident.highest_vcn from what is actually a resident attribute, accessing the wrong union member and corrupting the VCN range check. The caller path triggering this warning during mount is: ntfs_map_runlist_nolock ntfs_empty_logfile load_system_files ntfs_fill_super In this path ctx is NULL, so ntfs_map_runlist_nolock() allocates a temporary search context internally and sets ctx_needs_reset = true. The existing resident-attribute guard in the ctx != NULL branch already returns -EIO silently for the same condition; make the ctx_needs_reset path consistent by replacing the WARN_ON() with the same -EIO error return. This causes the crafted image to be rejected with a mount error instead of triggering a kernel warning.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-15
Last Modified
2026-08-15
Generated
2026-08-15
AI Q&A
2026-08-15
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-72185
EUVD
EUVD-2026-58943

Affected Vendors & Products

Currently, no data is known.

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Exploitability

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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a flaw in the NTFS file system driver. When handling a crafted NTFS image, the kernel's ntfs_map_runlist_nolock function incorrectly processes a resident attribute as if it were non-resident. This leads to memory corruption when accessing the wrong union member during VCN range checks, potentially causing system instability or crashes.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's NTFS filesystem handling. Detection requires checking kernel logs for NTFS-related warnings or errors during filesystem operations. Monitor logs with commands like dmesg | grep ntfs or journalctl -k | grep ntfs. If a crafted NTFS image triggers this issue, the kernel will log a mount error rejecting the image.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to crash the system by mounting a maliciously crafted NTFS image. This may lead to denial-of-service conditions, data corruption, or unauthorized access depending on the system's configuration and privileges.

Mitigation Strategies

Update your Linux kernel to the latest stable version that includes the fix for this NTFS vulnerability. Avoid mounting untrusted NTFS images until patched. If you must handle untrusted images, use a sandboxed environment or virtual machine to minimize risk.

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