CVE-2026-72194 (GCVE-0-2026-72194)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-15 05:53 – Updated: 2026-08-17 05:41
VLAI
Title
fs/ntfs3: add depth limit to indx_find_buffer to prevent stack overflow
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/ntfs3: add depth limit to indx_find_buffer to prevent stack overflow indx_find_buffer() recursively descends the B+ tree index with no depth limit. A crafted NTFS image with circular index node references causes unbounded recursion, overflowing the kernel stack and panicking the system. This is reachable by mounting a malicious NTFS filesystem (e.g. from a USB drive via desktop automount) and deleting a file whose index entry triggers the rebalancing fallback path in indx_delete_entry(). Add a depth parameter and bail out with -EINVAL when it reaches the fnd->nodes array bound, matching the constraint already enforced by fnd_push() in indx_find(). The related function indx_find() was previously patched for a similar infinite-loop issue (commit 1732053c8a6b), but indx_find_buffer() was missed.
Severity
9.8 (Critical)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Linux Linux Affected: 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 , < 99031d4f63c785d2a985b6a4c64c4256f7117052 (git)
Affected: 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 , < 65357a81f64cb3fbe13b4b937586755e4b3a072f (git)
Affected: 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 , < 96fb64f9da86fd2dbd78fbe9d9e41ae27e12ce34 (git)
Affected: 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 , < 78612f478f9fadcec4f9b3b089970da67ffb47e9 (git)
Affected: 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 , < 908c9243ba309997b73cbda3e4c563d0fb345ee9 (git)
Affected: 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 , < fdf50c788e0991e42a187ff75479a0df7fb752f1 (git)
Affected: 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 , < 1ebd684b8f627f75bc3e03f8b2ad8400fd1f02cd (git)
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Linux Linux Affected: 5.15
Unaffected: 0 , < 5.15 (semver)
Unaffected: 5.15.212 , ≤ 5.15.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.1.178 , ≤ 6.1.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.6.145 , ≤ 6.6.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.12.97 , ≤ 6.12.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.18.40 , ≤ 6.18.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.1.5 , ≤ 7.1.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.2 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
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          "product": "Linux",
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          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nfs/ntfs3: add depth limit to indx_find_buffer to prevent stack overflow\n\nindx_find_buffer() recursively descends the B+ tree index with no depth\nlimit.  A crafted NTFS image with circular index node references causes\nunbounded recursion, overflowing the kernel stack and panicking the\nsystem.\n\nThis is reachable by mounting a malicious NTFS filesystem (e.g. from a\nUSB drive via desktop automount) and deleting a file whose index entry\ntriggers the rebalancing fallback path in indx_delete_entry().\n\nAdd a depth parameter and bail out with -EINVAL when it reaches the\nfnd-\u003enodes array bound, matching the constraint already enforced by\nfnd_push() in indx_find().\n\nThe related function indx_find() was previously patched for a similar\ninfinite-loop issue (commit 1732053c8a6b), but indx_find_buffer() was\nmissed."
        }
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            "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
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              "value": "AV:N - ntfs3 registers export_operations; on NAS/hybrid servers exporting an NTFS volume via nfsd or ksmbd, a remote client\u0027s unlink reaches vfs_unlink\u2192ntfs_unlink_inode\u2192ni_remove_name\u2192indx_delete_entry\u2192indx_find_buffer without any local syscall from the attacker.\nAC:L - The attacker fully controls on-disk INDEX_ENTRY VCN pointers and can craft circular B+ tree references so indx_find_buffer() recurses deterministically until stack exhaustion; no race, special heap layout, or other uncontrollable condition is required beyond presenting the image and issuing unlink.\nPR:N - Exploitation requires only supplying a malicious NTFS image later mounted by root/udisks2/automount, or write permission on an NFS/SMB-exported NTFS share (including guest/anonymous write); no init-namespace root, CAP_SYS_ADMIN, or other elevated host credentials are needed on the trigger path.\nUI:N - Once an administrator has mounted and optionally exported the NTFS volume\u2014or desktop/kiosk automount has attached removable media\u2014the attacker issues unlink directly; no further victim clicks, file opens, or cooperative actions beyond that standing configuration are required.\nS:U - Impact is kernel stack overflow and panic within the host kernel\u0027s security authority; this is standard local or network filesystem exploitation, not a VM escape, IOMMU bypass, or cross-scope sandbox breakout.\nC:H - Unbounded recursion overflows the kernel stack, corrupting stack memory before the guard-page fault; under overestimation guidance, kernel stack corruption is treated as potentially enabling arbitrary kernel memory disclosure or information leakage via control-data overwrite.\nI:H - Recursive stack exhaustion corrupts return addresses and adjacent stack frames on the kernel stack, plausibly enabling control-flow hijack or arbitrary kernel modification even though the immediate failure mode is a panic.\nA:H - The fix commit and call path confirm unbounded recursion overflows the kernel stack and panics the system; any kernel oops, stack guard fault, or panic from this path scores Availability High."
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      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-17T05:41:20.799Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
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          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1ebd684b8f627f75bc3e03f8b2ad8400fd1f02cd"
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    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-72194",
    "datePublished": "2026-08-15T05:53:54.125Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-08-09T03:40:39.911Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-17T05:41:20.799Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
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A crafted NTFS image with circular index node references causes\\nunbounded recursion, overflowing the kernel stack and panicking the\\nsystem.\\n\\nThis is reachable by mounting a malicious NTFS filesystem (e.g. from a\\nUSB drive via desktop automount) and deleting a file whose index entry\\ntriggers the rebalancing fallback path in indx_delete_entry().\\n\\nAdd a depth parameter and bail out with -EINVAL when it reaches the\\nfnd-\u003enodes array bound, matching the constraint already enforced by\\nfnd_push() in indx_find().\\n\\nThe related function indx_find() was previously patched for a similar\\ninfinite-loop issue (commit 1732053c8a6b), but indx_find_buffer() was\\nmissed.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"programFiles\":[\"fs/ntfs3/index.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17\",\"lessThan\":\"99031d4f63c785d2a985b6a4c64c4256f7117052\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17\",\"lessThan\":\"65357a81f64cb3fbe13b4b937586755e4b3a072f\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17\",\"lessThan\":\"96fb64f9da86fd2dbd78fbe9d9e41ae27e12ce34\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17\",\"lessThan\":\"78612f478f9fadcec4f9b3b089970da67ffb47e9\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17\",\"lessThan\":\"908c9243ba309997b73cbda3e4c563d0fb345ee9\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17\",\"lessThan\":\"fdf50c788e0991e42a187ff75479a0df7fb752f1\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17\",\"lessThan\":\"1ebd684b8f627f75bc3e03f8b2ad8400fd1f02cd\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]},{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"affected\",\"programFiles\":[\"fs/ntfs3/index.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"5.15\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"0\",\"lessThan\":\"5.15\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"5.15.212\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"5.15.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.1.178\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.1.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.6.145\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.6.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.12.97\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.12.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.18.40\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.18.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"7.1.5\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"7.1.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"7.2\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"*\",\"versionType\":\"original_commit_for_fix\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\",\"baseScore\":9.8,\"baseSeverity\":\"CRITICAL\",\"attackVector\":\"NETWORK\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"NONE\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"integrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":3.9,\"impactScore\":5.9}]},\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1ebd684b8f627f75bc3e03f8b2ad8400fd1f02cd\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/65357a81f64cb3fbe13b4b937586755e4b3a072f\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/78612f478f9fadcec4f9b3b089970da67ffb47e9\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/908c9243ba309997b73cbda3e4c563d0fb345ee9\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/96fb64f9da86fd2dbd78fbe9d9e41ae27e12ce34\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/99031d4f63c785d2a985b6a4c64c4256f7117052\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fdf50c788e0991e42a187ff75479a0df7fb752f1\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"}]}}",
    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-18T15:32:59+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-72194",
      "id": "CVE-2026-72194",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-08-15T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "274",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "kernel: fs/ntfs3: add depth limit to indx_find_buffer to prevent stack overflow",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-72194.json",
      "version": "3"
    },
    "suse_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-21T00:42:44Z",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-72194",
      "id": "CVE-2026-72194",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-08-21T00:42:44Z",
      "product_status:known_affected": "129",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "155",
      "source": "SUSE CSAF VEX",
      "status": "interim",
      "title": "SUSE CVE CVE-2026-72194",
      "url": "https://ftp.suse.com/pub/projects/security/csaf-vex/cve-2026-72194.json",
      "version": "2"
    }
  }
}



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Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

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Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.