Unrepaired NTFS corruption via premature dirty-bit clearing
Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Sep 25, 2026
Incorrect volume-state handling in the Linux kernel 7.1 allows local users to suppress NTFS recovery through a filesystem sync. The ntfs_sync_fs function clears VOLUME_IS_DIRTY even when NVolErrors records a prior volume error, so later recovery treats the filesystem as clean. Exploitation requires a mounted read-write NTFS volume with a recorded error; a subsequent sync can leave existing filesystem damage unrepaired.
Summary
What happened
Incorrect volume-state handling in the Linux kernel 7.1 allows local users to suppress NTFS recovery through a filesystem sync. The ntfs_sync_fs function clears VOLUME_IS_DIRTY even when NVolErrors records a prior volume error, so later recovery treats the filesystem as clean. Exploitation requires a mounted read-write NTFS volume with a recorded error; a subsequent sync can leave existing filesystem damage unrepaired.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98138
- Published
- Sep 25, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 25, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1490
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=6251f0b0de7d645e3591931ca4c11d8322c1866f <0e4c839905418d55bafe571a92533a1d1ac7b0a8
- Affected versionversion=6251f0b0de7d645e3591931ca4c11d8322c1866f <ca1f9933eff777a604eb664d0f9ae433b8664cbf
- Affected versionversion=7.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Get started