# CVE-2026-63833: ntfs3: reject direct userspace writes to reserved $LX* xattrs

> An unprivileged user can gain root privileges by writing reserved NTFS3 xattrs to set SUID bits on files, requiring a kernel patch.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-92567, BELL-CVE-2026-63833, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-63833, GHSA-wv5h-jx62-4xcv, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-63833, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-63833

## What is CVE-2026-63833?

CVE-2026-63833 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ntfs3: reject direct userspace writes to reserved $LX* xattrs

NTFS3 uses $LXUID, $LXGID, $LXMOD and $LXDEV as internal WSL
permission metadata and reloads them into i_uid, i_gid and i_mode
from ntfs_get_wsl_perm().

Because the empty-prefix xattr handler also lets file owners call
setxattr() on these names directly, an unprivileged writer on a
writable ntfs3 mount can plant root ownership and S_ISUID on their own
file and gain euid 0 after inode reload.

Reject direct userspace writes to the reserved $LX* names. Internal
ntfs3 metadata updates are unchanged because ntfs_save_wsl_perm()
writes them via ntfs_set_ea() directly.

[almaz.alexandrovich@paragon-software.com: added an additional check for non privileged users]

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-63833?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-63833?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-63833 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-63833 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-63833 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-63833 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-63833 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63833/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63833/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-63833
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-63833
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-63833

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63833/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.