CVE-2026-72184

Local denial of service via NTFS memory leak

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

A memory leak in the Linux kernel NTFS driver 7.1 through 7.1.4 allows local users to exhaust memory during range insertion. The ntfs_non_resident_attr_insert_range() error path returns after ntfs_attr_map_whole_runlist() fails without freeing the two-entry hole_rl allocation. Triggering the leak requires local access to exercise NTFS non-resident attribute range insertion and force whole-runlist mapping to fail; repetition can exhaust memory and interrupt the system.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A memory leak in the Linux kernel NTFS driver 7.1 through 7.1.4 allows local users to exhaust memory during range insertion. The ntfs_non_resident_attr_insert_range() error path returns after ntfs_attr_map_whole_runlist() fails without freeing the two-entry hole_rl allocation. Triggering the leak requires local access to exercise NTFS non-resident attribute range insertion and force whole-runlist mapping to fail; repetition can exhaust memory and interrupt the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72184
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-772, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 15, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=495e90fa334828d4119061e2726af51d0a0fb4ed <06769b8f23b4b645b270c438649fff79768fb6fe
  2. Affected versionversion=495e90fa334828d4119061e2726af51d0a0fb4ed <7d7f72cb21a829682f6d8968af4fbe413789d1fd
  3. Affected versionversion=7.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=495e90fa334828d4119061e2726af51d0a0fb4ed <06769b8f23b4b645b270c438649fff79768fb6fe; version=495e90fa334828d4119061e2726af51d0a0fb4ed <7d7f72cb21a829682f6d8968af4fbe413789d1fd; version=7.1

Published CVSS scores

4.7SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-772Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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