# CVE-2026-72191: ntfs3: validate split-point offset in indx_insert_into_buffer

> A crafted NTFS image triggers an integer underflow and out-of-bounds write in the Linux kernel ntfs3 driver, causing a kernel panic or potential code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 16 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-72191, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72191, GHSA-rw89-wm92-gvrj, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-72191

## What is CVE-2026-72191?

CVE-2026-72191 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

ntfs3: validate split-point offset in indx_insert_into_buffer

indx_insert_into_buffer() computes

    used = used1 - to_copy - sp_size;
    memmove(de_t, Add2Ptr(sp, sp_size), used - le32_to_cpu(hdr1->de_off));

where sp and sp_size come from hdr_find_split().  hdr_find_split()
walks entries by le16_to_cpu(e->size) without validating that each
step stays within hdr->used or that the size field is at least
sizeof(struct NTFS_DE).  index_hdr_check(), the on-load gatekeeper,
only validates header-level fields (used, total, de_off) and does
not walk per-entry sizes.

A crafted NTFS image whose leaf INDEX_HDR reports used == total but
contains one interior NTFS_DE with size = 0xFFF0 therefore passes
validation, descends to indx_insert_into_buffer() through the
ntfs_create() -> indx_insert_entry() path, and makes hdr_find_split()
return an sp whose sp_size (0xFFF0) greatly exceeds the remaining
bytes in the buffer.  The u32 subtraction underflows and the memmove
count becomes a near-4-GiB value, producing an out-of-bounds kernel
write that corrupts adjacent allocations and panics the kernel.

Reproduced on 7.0.0-rc7 with UML + KASAN via a crafted image and a
single 'touch' inside the mounted directory; crash site resolves to
fs/ntfs3/index.c at the memmove.  Trigger requires only local mount
of an attacker-supplied filesystem image (USB, loopback, or removable
media auto-mount).

Reject the split whenever the chosen sp plus its declared size
already extends past hdr1->used.  This is the minimal fix; it
preserves the existing hdr_find_split() contract and relies on the
same out: cleanup path as the pre-existing error returns.

A prior OOB read in the very same indx_insert_into_buffer() memmove
was fixed in commit b8c44949044e ("fs/ntfs3: Fix OOB read in
indx_insert_into_buffer") by tightening hdr_find_e(), but that fix
does not cover the split-point size field path addressed here: sp is
returned by hdr_find_split(), not hdr_find_e(), and the underflow is
driven by sp->size rather than hdr->used exceeding hdr->total.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-72191?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-72191?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-72191 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72191 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-72191 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-72191 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72191 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2026-72191/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72191/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72191
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72191
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-72191

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72191/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.