Linux hwe edge: (In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: n ...) (CVE-2026-80869)

The Linux kernel NTFS driver had a vulnerability in the ntfs_read_inode_mount() function where the attribute-list entries were only partially validated for bounds. Specifically, the checks ensured that the first 6 bytes of each entry were within bounds, but subsequent fields at offsets 8 and 16 (lowest_vcn and mft_reference) were read without proper validation. An attacker-controlled length field could be set to a small value (e.g., 8), passing the initial checks but causing out-of-bounds reads beyond the allocated buffer when the attribute list size was a multiple of the sector size. The fix involved using the ntfs_attr_list_entry_is_valid() function to fully validate each entry's length and bounds before dereferencing, eliminating the risk of out-of-bounds reads.

This vulnerability could lead to out-of-bounds memory reads during the mounting of NTFS filesystems, potentially causing kernel memory disclosure or system instability. However, no known exploits in the wild have been reported. The impact is limited to systems mounting crafted NTFS filesystems with malicious attribute lists.

A patch has been applied to the Linux kernel to properly validate NTFS attribute-list entries before dereferencing them, preventing out-of-bounds reads. Users should update their Linux kernel to a version that includes this fix once it is available. Patch status is not yet confirmed from the vendor advisory; check the official Linux kernel release notes or advisories for the exact fixed versions and apply updates accordingly.