# CVE-2026-64431: ntfs: avoid calling post_write_mst_fixup() for invalid index_block

> A local attacker can trigger out-of-bounds memory access in the Linux kernel NTFS driver by mounting a malicious NTFS image, potentially leading to code execution or privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 25 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64431, GHSA-7v8v-8486-fvc6, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-64431, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64431

## What is CVE-2026-64431?

CVE-2026-64431 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 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:

ntfs: avoid calling post_write_mst_fixup() for invalid index_block

ntfs_icx_ib_sync_write() calls post_write_mst_fixup() when ntfs_ib_write()
returns an error, intending to restore the buffer after a failed write.

However, ntfs_ib_write() returns an error immediately if
pre_write_mst_fixup() validation fails. The caller,
ntfs_icx_ib_sync_write(), interprets any error as a write failure
requiring rollback. It does not differentiate between I/O errors and
validation failures, and calls post_write_mst_fixup() anyway.

Since post_write_mst_fixup() assumes that the index_block contents is
correct, it doesn't perform the boundary checks, which results in
out-of-bounds memory access.

An attacker can craft a malicious NTFS image with:
  - large index_block.usa_ofs offset, pointing outside the ntfs_record
  - index_block.usa_count = 0, causing integer underflow
  - or index_block.usa_count larger than actual number of sectors in the
    ntfs_record, causing out-of-bounds access

KASAN reports describing the memory corruption:
  ==================================================================
  BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in post_write_mst_fixup+0x19c/0x1d0
  Read of size 2 at addr ffff8881586c9018 by task p/9428
  Call Trace:
   <TASK>
   dump_stack_lvl+0x100/0x190
   print_report+0x139/0x4ad
   ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x19c/0x1d0
   ? __virt_addr_valid+0x262/0x500
   ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x19c/0x1d0
   kasan_report+0xe4/0x1d0
   ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x19c/0x1d0
   post_write_mst_fixup+0x19c/0x1d0
   ntfs_icx_ib_sync_write+0x179/0x220
   ntfs_inode_sync_filename+0x83d/0x1080
   __ntfs_write_inode+0x1049/0x1480
   ntfs_file_fsync+0x131/0x9b0
  ==================================================================
  BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in post_write_mst_fixup+0x1aa/0x1d0
  Write of size 2 at addr ffff8881586c91fe by task p/9428
  Call Trace:
   <TASK>
   dump_stack_lvl+0x100/0x190
   print_report+0x139/0x4ad
   ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x1aa/0x1d0
   ? __virt_addr_valid+0x262/0x500
   ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x1aa/0x1d0
   kasan_report+0xe4/0x1d0
   ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x1aa/0x1d0
   post_write_mst_fixup+0x1aa/0x1d0
   ntfs_icx_ib_sync_write+0x179/0x220
   ntfs_inode_sync_filename+0x83d/0x1080
   __ntfs_write_inode+0x1049/0x1480
   ntfs_file_fsync+0x131/0x9b0
  ==================================================================

Let's move the post_write_mst_fixup() call to ntfs_ib_write().
The ntfs_ib_write() function calls pre_write_mst_fixup() at the beginning.
If the index_block contents is invalid, pre_write_mst_fixup() fails and
ntfs_ib_write() returns early without calling post_write_mst_fixup() on
bad index_block.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64431?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64431?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64431 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64431 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-2026-64431 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64431 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 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-2026-64431 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-2026-64431/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64431/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64431
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64431
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64431

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64431/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.