CVE-2026-72208

Memory disclosure or crash via malformed NTFS EAs

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Out-of-bounds reads in the Linux NTFS driver 7.1 through 7.1.4 allow local users to disclose kernel memory or crash a system via malformed EAs. In ntfs_ea_lookup and ntfs_listxattr, each loop reads next_entry_offset from an EA header before confirming that a complete header remains in the buffer. Triggering requires a crafted NTFS filesystem to be mounted and an affected inode to be accessed; mounting normally requires elevated privileges or victim action.

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 reads in the Linux NTFS driver 7.1 through 7.1.4 allow local users to disclose kernel memory or crash a system via malformed EAs. In ntfs_ea_lookup and ntfs_listxattr, each loop reads next_entry_offset from an EA header before confirming that a complete header remains in the buffer. Triggering requires a crafted NTFS filesystem to be mounted and an affected inode to be accessed; mounting normally requires elevated privileges or victim action.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72208
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-125, T1499.004
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=0 <7.1.5
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <937282f7d15b593d0be765fa2ced164130ec87f7
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d9d9925de1d8f233cc60d3dc356e12f232f97c15

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0 <7.1.5; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <937282f7d15b593d0be765fa2ced164130ec87f7; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d9d9925de1d8f233cc60d3dc356e12f232f97c15

Published CVSS scores

9.8CanonicalCVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-125Out-of-bounds Read
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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