CVE-2026-72189

System hang via recursive inode eviction deadlock

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Deadlock in the NTFS driver in Linux 7.1 through 7.1.4 allows local users to hang the system during filesystem teardown. ntfs_attrlist_update() calls ntfs_attr_iget() for an $ATTRIBUTE_LIST inode already marked I_FREEING, so find_inode() waits on the same eviction path. Triggering requires teardown of an NTFS volume whose fake attribute-list inode is selected for eviction; the resulting circular wait leaves teardown stuck.

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

Deadlock in the NTFS driver in Linux 7.1 through 7.1.4 allows local users to hang the system during filesystem teardown. ntfs_attrlist_update() calls ntfs_attr_iget() for an $ATTRIBUTE_LIST inode already marked I_FREEING, so find_inode() waits on the same eviction path. Triggering requires teardown of an NTFS volume whose fake attribute-list inode is selected for eviction; the resulting circular wait leaves teardown stuck.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72189
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-833, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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 <0ebe8f625ab0520217a425d7cd366e4670484941
  2. Affected versionversion=495e90fa334828d4119061e2726af51d0a0fb4ed <d5379035355c0dcb1e92a2544d40f48441e1d637
  3. Affected versionversion=7.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=495e90fa334828d4119061e2726af51d0a0fb4ed <0ebe8f625ab0520217a425d7cd366e4670484941; version=495e90fa334828d4119061e2726af51d0a0fb4ed <d5379035355c0dcb1e92a2544d40f48441e1d637; version=7.1

Published CVSS scores

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 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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-833Deadlock
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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