CVE-2026-80672: Linux kernel · ntfs: fix u16 truncation of restart-area length check
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Mentioned vulnerabilities
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.8 High.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 5% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 28 Aug 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: 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 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to widen the variables involved in the restart-area length calculation from u16 to u32, preventing truncation and ensuring proper bounds checking. Users should update to the patched kernel version containing this fix. Since this is a kernel vulnerability, applying the official kernel update from the vendor or distribution is the recommended remediation. No additional mitigations are indicated by the vendor advisory.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NTFS driver (linux-hwe-edge) involves incorrect handling of the restart-area length check due to 16-bit truncation. This flaw allows an out-of-bounds read when mounting a crafted NTFS image, potentially leading to high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The issue arises because a length value is truncated from a 32-bit calculation to a 16-bit variable, causing the bounds check to be bypassed. The vulnerability is similar to a previously fixed issue in the ntfs-3g userspace driver but was not addressed in the kernel driver until now.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-80672 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/07a4751ef3ccc8bfd17bfbb16e5003c03161790d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/390936fb15053d8d8991ca3a22776e251a5a7f2f (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-80672 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-80672 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/390936fb15053d8d8991ca3a22776e251a5a7f2f (opens in a new tab)