Kernel crash via unchecked NTFS root inode
Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025
NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel NTFS3 allows attackers to crash affected kernels by mounting a crafted NTFS image. ntfs_fill_super accepts a root-directory MFT inode whose i_op pointer is NULL, then d_make_root reaches d_flags_for_inode and dereferences that pointer while creating the root dentry. Exploitation requires permission or an administrator action to mount attacker-controlled media; the reported consequence is a kernel oops and service interruption.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel NTFS3 allows attackers to crash affected kernels by mounting a crafted NTFS image. ntfs_fill_super accepts a root-directory MFT inode whose i_op pointer is NULL, then d_make_root reaches d_flags_for_inode and dereferences that pointer while creating the root dentry. Exploitation requires permission or an administrator action to mount attacker-controlled media; the reported consequence is a kernel oops and service interruption.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-50739
- Published
- Dec 24, 2025
- Updated
- Dec 24, 2025
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 24, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Dec 24, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9f24743ddcdd3683b0a6b16e1439ad091dc3489b
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a7b23037b38b577d9a4372e0c6b7c9fe808070c1
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c1ca8ef0262b25493631ecbd9cb8c9893e1481a1
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f62506f5e45afbb01c84c3f28a2878b320a0b0f7
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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