CVE-2026-90048: Linux kernel · fs/ntfs3: fix slab-out-of-bounds write in ni_create_attr_list()
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.8 Critical · fixed in fa2215cf451414b0512cd6f7d37a057893811f4d : patch Linux kernel as a priority.
Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 16:33 UTC
Thin evidence
One scorer or none| CNA (Linux) | CVSS 3.1 | 9.8 |
|---|
- Patch
- Available – fixed in fa2215cf451414b0512cd6f7d37a057893811f4d, d07e281f2a7710502985d6f80b95ddac8f4e81d5, a84f3db72561c4d9281c5ff721ce46b9ffa7f30e +3
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 16 Sep 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 30 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/ntfs3: fix slab-out-of-bounds write in ni_create_attr_list() ni_create_attr_list() allocates a fixed buffer of al_aligned(record_size) (== record_size) bytes and then walks every attribute of the primary MFT record, writing one ATTR_LIST_ENTRY per attribute and advancing the cursor by le_size(name_len), with no check against the end of the buffer; the total size is only computed after the loop. A minimum-size resident attribute occupies SIZEOF_RESIDENT (0x18 = 24) bytes on disk, but an unnamed attribute expands to le_size(0) (0x20 = 32) bytes in the list. Because the number of attributes in a record is not bounded (mi_enum_attr() accepts arbitrarily many equal-type, nameless minimum-size attributes), a crafted record packed with such attributes produces a list larger than record_size and overflows the heap buffer. This is reachable from a crafted, loop-mounted NTFS image: opening the file and adding an attribute (e.g. via setxattr) drives ntfs_set_ea() -> ni_insert_resident() -> ni_insert_attr() -> ni_ins_attr_ext() -> ni_create_attr_list(). BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in ni_create_attr_list+0xc48/0x1058 Write of size 4 at addr ffff000008984c00 by task setfattr/345 ni_create_attr_list+0xc48/0x1058 ni_ins_attr_ext+0x510/0x7c0 ni_insert_attr+0x3f8/0x70c ni_insert_resident+0xc8/0x3b0 ntfs_set_ea+0x66c/0xd28 ntfs_setxattr+0x4d8/0x5b0 __arm64_sys_setxattr+0xa4/0x124 Allocated by task 345: ni_create_attr_list+0x188/0x1058 The buggy address belongs to the cache kmalloc-1k of size 1024 (the write lands at object+1024). Size the buffer from the actual attributes instead of assuming a single record_size is always enough.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-90048 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3a38f3c71bcd9bd58d86489c364bd29a4c2c860e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7c4841e2a62794a3bab7c1ff0540580f387e377f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7e9aee7e4d9767cc3e423b3beecb01c7ebb6bbcd (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a84f3db72561c4d9281c5ff721ce46b9ffa7f30e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d07e281f2a7710502985d6f80b95ddac8f4e81d5 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fa2215cf451414b0512cd6f7d37a057893811f4d (opens in a new tab)