CVE-2026-98138: Linux kernel · ntfs: do not mark the volume clean in sync_fs when errors were recorded
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 0% 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:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 25 Sep 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
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther 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 corrects the dirty bit handling in the NTFS driver to prevent marking volumes clean when errors exist. Users should update to patched Linux kernel versions that include this fix. Since this is a kernel-level issue, applying the official kernel updates from the vendor or distribution is the recommended remediation.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NTFS driver caused the volume to be incorrectly marked as clean after errors were recorded, preventing necessary recovery operations. This issue was fixed by ensuring the dirty bit is not cleared when volume errors exist, thus preserving the need for recovery. The flaw affected specific Linux kernel versions and could lead to data loss or corruption due to skipped recovery.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-98138 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98138 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e4c839905418d55bafe571a92533a1d1ac7b0a8 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ca1f9933eff777a604eb664d0f9ae433b8664cbf (opens in a new tab)
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98138 (opens in a new tab)