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In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: grow index root value before reparent header update ntfs_ir_reparent()… (CVE-2026-72211)

0
Medium
Published: 08/17/2026 (08/17/2026, 00:00:00 UTC)
Source: GCVE Database
Product: linux

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: grow index root value before reparent header update ntfs_ir_reparent() moves the resident index root entries into an index block and leaves a small root stub containing the child VCN. That root stub can be larger than the existing resident value. For example, an empty root with value_length 48 has an index area of 32 bytes, while the large-index root stub needs index_length and allocated_size of 40 bytes. The current code publishes the larger index.index_length and index.allocated_size before resizing the resident value. If the resize returns -ENOSPC, the recovery path can call ntfs_inode_add_attrlist(), which looks attributes up again while the root header says allocated_size 40 but the resident value still only provides 32 bytes of index area. Lookup-time $INDEX_ROOT validation then correctly rejects that transient layout as corrupt. This reproduces as a generic/013 failure under qemu. In the failing run, the transient root had value_len=48, index_size=32, index_length=40, and allocated_size=40, and ntfsprogs-plus ntfsck reported "Corrupt index root in MFT record 1177". When the root stub grows, resize the resident value before publishing the larger root header. If the resize fails, the old root remains valid for recovery lookups. Keep the existing header-before-resize ordering for shrink or same-size cases so the resident value never temporarily exposes an allocated_size beyond its bounds.

CVSS v3.1

Score 9.8critical

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

AI-Powered Analysis

Machine-generated threat intelligence

AILast updated: 08/15/2026, 16:47:07 UTC

Technical Analysis

The vulnerability in the Linux kernel NTFS driver occurs because the code updates the index header's size fields before successfully resizing the resident index root value. If the resize operation fails (e.g., due to insufficient space), the system can enter a transient state where the header claims a larger allocated size than the resident value provides. This inconsistency triggers validation failures during index lookups, which detect the layout as corrupt. The fix involves resizing the resident value before publishing the larger header size, ensuring that if resizing fails, the old valid root remains intact for recovery. This prevents transient corruption states and lookup failures.

Potential Impact

The issue causes transient inconsistencies in the NTFS index root structure, leading to lookup validation failures and corruption reports such as "Corrupt index root in MFT record". While this does not indicate direct code execution or privilege escalation, it can cause filesystem corruption detection and potential disruption of NTFS filesystem operations on the affected Linux kernel.

Mitigation Recommendations

Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. The vulnerability description indicates that a fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel source code to reorder the resizing and header update operations. Users should monitor official Linux kernel advisories and update to a fixed kernel version once available.

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Technical Details

Gcve Source
db.gcve.eu
Osv Id
GHSA-mw2v-m8cx-mx72
Osv Schema Version
1.4.0
Aliases
["CVE-2026-72211"]

Threat ID: 6a808b73bf8831d5394fe0c1

Added to database: 08/15/2026, 15:53:23 UTC

Last enriched: 08/15/2026, 16:47:07 UTC

Last updated: 09/30/2026, 06:54:40 UTC

Views: 26

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