CVE-2026-72209: Linux kernel · ntfs: validate attribute values on lookup
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.8 Critical.
Data as of 9 Nov 2026, 14:05 UTC
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 15 Aug 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 9 Nov 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-aws-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-aws-6.17pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-6.17?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.17pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.17?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
A fix is available that adds comprehensive validation of NTFS attribute values before lookup returns. Users should update to patched Linux kernel versions that include this fix. The affected versions listed should be upgraded to versions containing the patch. No additional mitigation is required beyond applying the official kernel updates.
Description
CVE-2026-72209 is a critical vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NTFS implementation where improper validation of variable-length resident attribute values can lead to out-of-bounds reads. A crafted NTFS image can exploit this flaw by setting inconsistent length fields in the $FILE_NAME attribute, causing kernel functions to read beyond allocated memory. This issue was addressed by adding a shared attribute value validator that enforces proper bounds checking and rejects invalid non-resident $FILE_NAME records.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-72209 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72209 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/d5803e3345dae9c6470bb61869885236276b9a35 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5803e3345dae9c6470bb61869885236276b9a35 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e4c36dfac57a7261e9aeb0f3a7f30944a8aefb56 (opens in a new tab)