CVE-2023-26544Public exploit

Kernel compromise via malformed NTFS run-list bounds

Published Feb 25, 2023 · Updated May 5, 2025

Use-after-free in NTFS3's run_unpack in Linux kernel 6.0.8 allows local users to crash or compromise the kernel via crafted NTFS metadata. The MFT-loading path supplies malformed run-list bounds to run_unpack, which reads one byte beyond its heap allocation while decoding the run list. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and an NTFS image mounted through NTFS3; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel memory-safety failure.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in NTFS3's run_unpack in Linux kernel 6.0.8 allows local users to crash or compromise the kernel via crafted NTFS metadata. The MFT-loading path supplies malformed run-list bounds to run_unpack, which reads one byte beyond its heap allocation while decoding the run list. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and an NTFS image mounted through NTFS3; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel memory-safety failure.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-26544
Published
Feb 25, 2023
Updated
May 5, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 25, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 5, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.0SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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