CVE-2026-72186

ntfs: make system files immutable to prevent corruption

Published Aug 15, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 9.1 Critical EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ntfs: make system files immutable to prevent corruption

When a system file such as $Bitmap is exposed via show_sys_files and
written from userspace, the volume is corrupted and, because the cluster
allocator scans $Bitmap through the same inode's page cache, a write to
$Bitmap also deadlocks writeback against the folio it already holds locked.

These files are maintained by the driver itself and have no valid reason
to be written through the file interface. Mark base metadata files
(mft_no < FILE_first_user) as immutable during inode read so the VFS
rejects write, mmap, truncate and unlink with -EPERM. Directories are
skipped so the root and $Extend remain usable. Internal metadata updates
do not go through the VFS write path and are unaffected.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-284
CWE-749
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-284
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-284
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: make system files immutable to prevent corruption When a system file such as $Bitmap is exposed via show_sys_files and written from userspace, the volume is corrupted and, because the cluster allocator scans $Bitmap through the same inode's page cache, a write to $Bitmap also deadlocks writeback against the folio it already holds locked. These files are maintained by the driver itself and have no valid reason to be written through the file interface. Mark base metadata files (mft_no < FILE_first_user) as immutable during inode read so the VFS rejects write, mmap, truncate and unlink with -EPERM. Directories are skipped so the root and $Extend remain usable. Internal metadata updates do not go through the VFS write path and are unaffected.
Title ntfs: make system files immutable to prevent corruption
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Aug 17, 2026, 5:41 AM
Reserved
Aug 9, 2026, 3:40 AM
Status
Received
Published
Aug 15, 2026, 6:21 AM
Modified
Aug 17, 2026, 6:18 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Aug 15, 2026, 12:00 AM