{ "dataType": "CVE_RECORD", "dataVersion": "5.2", "cveMetadata": { "cveId": "CVE-2026-72354", "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "state": "PUBLISHED", "assignerShortName": "Linux", "dateReserved": "2026-08-09T03:40:39.921Z", "datePublished": "2026-08-15T05:55:56.163Z", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-17T05:43:12.145Z" }, "containers": { "cna": { "providerMetadata": { "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "shortName": "Linux", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-17T05:43:12.145Z" }, "descriptions": [ { "lang": "en", "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nntfs: avoid stale runlist element dereference in MFT writeback\n\nntfs_write_mft_block() maps each $MFT record through the $MFT data\nrunlist. For sub-folio clusters it looks up a struct runlist_element under\nni->runlist.lock, drops the lock, and later uses rl->length and rl->vcn\nwhen choosing folio_sz.\n\nThat pointer is only borrowed from ni->runlist.rl. Concurrent $MFT\nallocation extension can merge a replacement runlist under the same lock,\nand ntfs_rl_realloc() can free the old backing array. If that happens\nbetween the lookup and the later folio_sz decision, writeback can\ndereference freed runlist storage.\n\nThe buggy scenario involves two paths, with each column showing the order\nwithin that path:\n\nMFT writeback path: $MFT allocation extension:\n1. Look up rl under 1. Extend the $MFT data allocation.\n ni->runlist.lock. 2. Publish a replacement runlist.\n2. Drop ni->runlist.lock. 3. Free the old runlist array.\n3. Read rl->length and rl->vcn\n to choose folio_sz.\n\nCompute the remaining run length while ni->runlist.lock is still held, and\nuse that scalar after unlock. This preserves the existing folio sizing\ndecision without carrying a borrowed runlist_element across the lock\nboundary.\n\nValidation reproduced this kernel report:\nBUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ntfs_mft_writepages+0x1c8d/0x1fb0\n\nCall Trace:\n \n dump_stack_lvl+0x66/0xa0\n print_report+0xce/0x630\n ? ntfs_mft_writepages+0x1c8d/0x1fb0\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n ? __virt_addr_valid+0x20d/0x410\n ? ntfs_mft_writepages+0x1c8d/0x1fb0\n kasan_report+0xe0/0x110\n ? ntfs_mft_writepages+0x1c8d/0x1fb0\n ntfs_mft_writepages+0x1c8d/0x1fb0\n ? __pfx_ntfs_mft_writepages+0x10/0x10\n ? __pfx___mutex_unlock_slowpath+0x10/0x10\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n ? iput+0x92/0xa80\n do_writepages+0x219/0x530\n ? __pfx_do_writepages+0x10/0x10\n __writeback_single_inode+0x117/0xf50\n ? do_raw_spin_lock+0x130/0x270\n ? __pfx_do_raw_spin_lock+0x10/0x10\n ? __pfx___writeback_single_inode+0x10/0x10\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n writeback_sb_inodes+0x65b/0x1810\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n ? lock_acquire+0x2b8/0x2f0\n ? __pfx_writeback_sb_inodes+0x10/0x10\n ? lock_release+0x1e0/0x280\n ? _raw_spin_unlock+0x23/0x40\n ? move_expired_inodes+0x2b8/0x850\n __writeback_inodes_wb+0xf4/0x270\n ? __pfx___writeback_inodes_wb+0x10/0x10\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n ? queue_io+0x2e4/0x410\n wb_writeback+0x666/0x880\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n ? __pfx_wb_writeback+0x10/0x10\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n ? get_nr_dirty_inodes+0x1c/0x170\n wb_workfn+0x75e/0xbb0\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n ? _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x27/0x60\n ? __pfx_wb_workfn+0x10/0x10\n ? __pfx_debug_object_deactivate+0x10/0x10\n ? lock_acquire+0x2b8/0x2f0\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n ? lock_release+0x1e0/0x280\n process_one_work+0x8d0/0x1870\n ? __pfx_process_one_work+0x10/0x10\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n worker_thread+0x575/0xf80\n ? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10\n kthread+0x2e7/0x3c0\n ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10\n ret_from_fork+0x576/0x810\n ? __pfx_ret_from_fork+0x10/0x10\n ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n ? __switch_to+0x57e/0xe10\n ? __switch_to_asm+0x33/0x70\n ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10\n ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30\n \n\nAllocated by task 970:\n kasan_save_stack+0x33/0x60\n kasan_save_track+0x14/0x30\n __kasan_kmalloc+0xaa/0xb0\n __kvmalloc_node_noprof+0x353/0x920\n ntfs_rl_realloc+0x3c/0x80\n ntfs_runlists_merge+0x1212/0x3010\n ntfs_mft_data_extend_allocation_nolock+0x3e0/0x1f40\n ntfs_mft_record_alloc+0x1ab4/0x4f10\n __ntfs_create+0x680/0x2e50\n ntfs_create+0x1e6/0x3a0\n path_openat+0x2b55/0x3c10\n do_file_open+0x1f4/0x460\n do_sys_openat2+0xde/0x170\n __x64_sys_openat+0x122/0x1e0\n do_syscall_64+0x115/0x6a0\n entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f\n\nFreed by task 1294:\n kasan_save_\n---truncated---" } ], "metrics": [ { "cvssV3_1": { "version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "baseScore": 8.8, "baseSeverity": "HIGH" }, "scenarios": [ { "lang": "en", "value": "AV:N - Remote clients can reach ntfs_create/ntfs_mft_record_alloc via ksmbd, NFS, or Samba on an rw-mounted NTFS export, racing the kernel $MFT writeback worker without local shell access.\nAC:L - The attacker controls concurrent file creation that extends $MFT allocation while dirty MFT folios write back; the fix commit documents a reproducible KASAN UAF from this attacker-influenced race.\nPR:L - Only filesystem write permission on an rw-mounted NTFS volume is required (local unprivileged user or authenticated network share client), not real root in the initial mount namespace.\nUI:N - No victim interaction is needed; the attacker triggers metadata writes and relies on automatic writeback once $MFT pages are dirty.\nS:U - Impact is confined to kernel NTFS/$MFT writeback on the host; it does not cross VM, hypervisor, or IOMMU security boundaries.\nC:H - Slab use-after-free of runlist_element fields permits reading freed or attacker-influenced kernel memory, matching UAF arbitrary-read exploitation potential.\nI:H - Freed runlist contents control folio_sz and bio sizing for $MFT writeback, enabling misdirected kernel writes and standard UAF-based arbitrary write primitives.\nA:H - Reproduced as KASAN slab-use-after-free in ntfs_mft_writepages; stale runlist dereference can oops or panic the kernel during the race." } ] } ], "affected": [ { "product": "Linux", "vendor": "Linux", "defaultStatus": "unaffected", "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git", "programFiles": [ "fs/ntfs/mft.c" ], "versions": [ { "version": "115380f9a2f9675c7924563cbba70d40cae8fb81", "lessThan": "9a2e36963a3fc52401586657d34e3f1c5a01ea56", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "115380f9a2f9675c7924563cbba70d40cae8fb81", "lessThan": "81fe702ff1760da32bcd3ef4494b2a33dbeced72", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git" } ] }, { "product": "Linux", "vendor": "Linux", "defaultStatus": "affected", "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git", "programFiles": [ "fs/ntfs/mft.c" ], "versions": [ { "version": "7.1", "status": "affected" }, { "version": "0", "lessThan": "7.1", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "7.1.5", "lessThanOrEqual": "7.1.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "7.2", "lessThanOrEqual": "*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix" } ] } ], "cpeApplicability": [ { "nodes": [ { "operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [ { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "7.1", "versionEndExcluding": "7.1.5" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "7.1", "versionEndExcluding": "7.2" } ] } ] } ], "references": [ { "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a2e36963a3fc52401586657d34e3f1c5a01ea56" }, { "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/81fe702ff1760da32bcd3ef4494b2a33dbeced72" } ], "title": "ntfs: avoid stale runlist element dereference in MFT writeback", "x_generator": { "engine": "bippy-1.2.0" } } } }