Critical severity · published Aug 15, 2026
CVE-2026-72191
ntfs3: validate split-point offset in indx_insert_into_buffer
9.8
CVSS
0.7%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ntfs3: validate split-point offset in indx_insert_into_buffer
indx_insert_into_buffer() computes
used = used1 - to_copy - sp_size;
memmove(de_t, Add2Ptr(sp, sp_size), used - le32_to_cpu(hdr1->de_off));
where sp and sp_size come from hdr_find_split(). hdr_find_split()
walks entries by le16_to_cpu(e->size) without validating that each
step stays within hdr->used or that the size field is at least
sizeof(struct NTFS_DE). index_hdr_check(), the on-load gatekeeper,
only validates header-level fields (used, total, de_off) and does
not walk per-entry sizes.
A crafted NTFS image whose leaf INDEX_HDR reports used == total but
contains one interior NTFS_DE with size = 0xFFF0 therefore passes
validation, descends to indx_insert_into_buffer() through the
ntfs_create() -> indx_insert_entry() path, and makes hdr_find_split()
return an sp whose sp_size (0xFFF0) greatly exceeds the remaining
bytes in the buffer. The u32 subtraction underflows and the memmove
count becomes a near-4-GiB value, producing an out-of-bounds kernel
write that corrupts adjacent allocations and panics the kernel.
Reproduced on 7.0.0-rc7 with UML + KASAN via a crafted image and a
single 'touch' inside the mounted directory; crash site resolves to
fs/ntfs3/index.c at the memmove. Trigger requires only local mount
of an attacker-supplied filesystem image (USB, loopback, or removable
media auto-mount).
Reject the split whenever the chosen sp plus its declared size
already extends past hdr1->used. This is the minimal fix; it
preserves the existing hdr_find_split() contract and relies on the
same out: cleanup path as the pre-existing error returns.
A prior OOB read in the very same indx_insert_into_buffer() memmove
was fixed in commit b8c44949044e ("fs/ntfs3: Fix OOB read in
indx_insert_into_buffer") by tightening hdr_find_e(), but that fix
does not cover the split-point size field path addressed here: sp is
returned by hdr_find_split(), not hdr_find_e(), and the underflow is
driven by sp->size rather than hdr->used exceeding hdr->total.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.7% · higher than 53% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
LI
Linux · Linux
82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 before 8e4ba5a38c155bb3c1c11e63cd285b178cdb099e; 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 before 4c2f648139a0a86f4486170f72e24fedd4fae74e; 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 before b232eb5c9fe11ec2368e9b565db69c724c35fbd2; 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 before 7bf74e6baf810fe325f111996496c678fc6e244f; 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 before f3624cc069195001c88df7a291af215f2133ff2c; 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 before 1758a564b6ebe7f4a82f23c9851d1cae15549457; +2 more · source: vendor
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72191
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72191
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1758a564b6ebe7f4a82f23c9851d1cae15549457
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4c2f648139a0a86f4486170f72e24fedd4fae74e
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7bf74e6baf810fe325f111996496c678fc6e244f
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8e4ba5a38c155bb3c1c11e63cd285b178cdb099e
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b232eb5c9fe11ec2368e9b565db69c724c35fbd2
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f1df9d771df47aa40de6d70949c28720ae1e430d
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