CVE-2026-72201Network attack vector

Kernel memory corruption via unvalidated NTFS indexes

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Out-of-bounds access in the NTFS driver in Linux 7.1 through 7.1.4 allows attackers to read or corrupt kernel memory via crafted indexes. The index B-tree engine consumes on-disk entry length, key length, and filename length fields without validating them against the entry envelope. Mounting and traversing a crafted NTFS image can expose kernel memory, overwrite heap data, or panic the host.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.52%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds access in the NTFS driver in Linux 7.1 through 7.1.4 allows attackers to read or corrupt kernel memory via crafted indexes. The index B-tree engine consumes on-disk entry length, key length, and filename length fields without validating them against the entry envelope. Mounting and traversing a crafted NTFS image can expose kernel memory, overwrite heap data, or panic the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72201
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

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=0 <7.1.5
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2221b691d7b2e17f08153f95848dacaa5d87e21d
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e2b95d3adb558ddd5685f9e072ec8661d57ee3a9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0 <7.1.5; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2221b691d7b2e17f08153f95848dacaa5d87e21d; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e2b95d3adb558ddd5685f9e072ec8661d57ee3a9

Published CVSS scores

9.8Linux CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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