CVE-2026-72204 (GCVE-0-2026-72204)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-15 05:54 – Updated: 2026-08-18 06:56
VLAI
Title
ntfs: centalize $INDEX_ROOT header validation
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: centalize $INDEX_ROOT header validation Add a dedicated helper to perform stricter validation of $INDEX_ROOT and use it for both directory inodes and named index inodes. This keeps the root size and header geometry checks consistent across both read paths.
Severity
8.4 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/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: 0a8ac0c1fa0b99a5b29002bc7f232ed7eafddef0 , < b06730c6af58d3569883f8dd7c36a90aba5ecc0a (git)
Affected: 0a8ac0c1fa0b99a5b29002bc7f232ed7eafddef0 , < 8b97b302f553a480fb76d2afd53cd6c0635a9dcd (git)
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Linux Linux Affected: 7.1
Unaffected: 0 , < 7.1 (semver)
Unaffected: 7.1.5 , ≤ 7.1.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.2 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
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{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "fs/ntfs/index.c",
            "fs/ntfs/index.h",
            "fs/ntfs/inode.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
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          "versions": [
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              "version": "7.1"
            },
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              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
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              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.1.5",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.2",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
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        }
      ],
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                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
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                  "versionStartIncluding": "7.1",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
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          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nntfs: centalize $INDEX_ROOT header validation\n\nAdd a dedicated helper to perform stricter validation of $INDEX_ROOT and\nuse it for both directory inodes and named index inodes. This keeps the\nroot size and header geometry checks consistent across both read paths."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 8.4,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "AV:L - The bug is reached only when the legacy fs/ntfs driver parses a crafted $INDEX_ROOT during mount or local VFS inode load (ntfs_fill_super\u2192ntfs_iget/ntfs_index_iget\u2192ntfs_read_locked_inode or ntfs_read_locked_index_inode); there is no network-facing handler.\nAC:L - The attacker fully controls on-disk $INDEX_ROOT header geometry (value_length, entries_offset, index_length, allocated_size), so the missing checks and resulting out-of-bounds access in ntfs_lookup_inode_by_name are reliably triggerable with no race or uncontrollable layout dependency.\nPR:N - The attacker needs no account or capabilities on the victim\u2014only a malicious NTFS image presented via USB, loop device, or dual-boot partition that root, udisks2, or automount loads on their behalf.\nUI:N - On kiosks, desktops, and automotive/embedded systems that automount removable NTFS media, inserting the device alone runs ntfs_fill_super and inode read of directory/index metadata with no further deliberate victim action beyond presenting the volume.\nS:U - Impact is confined to kernel heap parsing within the same OS security authority; this is not a VM escape, IOMMU bypass, or cross-sandbox boundary crossing.\nC:H - Without full header validation, crafted entries_offset/index_length pairs let ntfs_lookup_inode_by_name and inode-read paths read past the resident $INDEX_ROOT value into adjacent kmalloc MFT/slab memory, enabling unbounded kernel information disclosure.\nI:H - The same unchecked header fields drive index entry walks and later RW index memmove/insert paths on a writable mount; attacker-controlled geometry can corrupt heap metadata beyond the resident value, yielding a write primitive suitable for privilege escalation.\nA:H - Out-of-bounds reads of index entries and header fields from malformed $INDEX_ROOT during mount or directory access can fault on unmapped memory and oops/panic the kernel, fully denying availability."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-18T06:56:23.160Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b06730c6af58d3569883f8dd7c36a90aba5ecc0a"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b97b302f553a480fb76d2afd53cd6c0635a9dcd"
        }
      ],
      "title": "ntfs: centalize $INDEX_ROOT header validation",
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  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-72204",
    "datePublished": "2026-08-15T05:54:01.070Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-08-09T03:40:39.912Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-18T06:56:23.160Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2026-72204",
      "date": "2026-08-24",
      "epss": "0.00168",
      "percentile": "0.06189"
    },
    "nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2026-72204\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"published\":\"2026-08-15T06:21:39.090\",\"lastModified\":\"2026-08-18T07:16:53.780\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Received\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\\n\\nntfs: centalize $INDEX_ROOT header validation\\n\\nAdd a dedicated helper to perform stricter validation of $INDEX_ROOT and\\nuse it for both directory inodes and named index inodes. This keeps the\\nroot size and header geometry checks consistent across both read paths.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"programFiles\":[\"fs/ntfs/index.c\",\"fs/ntfs/index.h\",\"fs/ntfs/inode.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"0a8ac0c1fa0b99a5b29002bc7f232ed7eafddef0\",\"lessThan\":\"b06730c6af58d3569883f8dd7c36a90aba5ecc0a\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"0a8ac0c1fa0b99a5b29002bc7f232ed7eafddef0\",\"lessThan\":\"8b97b302f553a480fb76d2afd53cd6c0635a9dcd\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]},{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"affected\",\"programFiles\":[\"fs/ntfs/index.c\",\"fs/ntfs/index.h\",\"fs/ntfs/inode.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"7.1\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"0\",\"lessThan\":\"7.1\",\"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:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\",\"baseScore\":8.4,\"baseSeverity\":\"HIGH\",\"attackVector\":\"LOCAL\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"NONE\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"integrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":2.5,\"impactScore\":5.9}]},\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b97b302f553a480fb76d2afd53cd6c0635a9dcd\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b06730c6af58d3569883f8dd7c36a90aba5ecc0a\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"}]}}",
    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-18T16:28:28+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-72204",
      "id": "CVE-2026-72204",
      "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: ntfs: centalize $INDEX_ROOT header validation",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-72204.json",
      "version": "3"
    }
  }
}



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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.


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