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

ntfs: fix WARN_ON for resident attribute in ntfs_map_runlist_nolock()

When ntfs_map_runlist_nolock() needs to look up the attribute extent
containing a target VCN (ctx_needs_reset == true), it calls
ntfs_attr_lookup() and then expects the result to be a non-resident
attribute, since only non-resident attributes have a mapping pairs
array to decompress.

A crafted NTFS image can place a resident attribute where a non-resident
one is expected, causing ntfs_attr_lookup() to succeed but return a
resident attribute record. Previously this was caught only by a
WARN_ON(), which does not stop execution. The code then falls through to
read a->data.non_resident.highest_vcn from what is actually a resident
attribute, accessing the wrong union member and corrupting the VCN range
check.

The caller path triggering this warning during mount is:

ntfs_map_runlist_nolock
ntfs_empty_logfile
load_system_files
ntfs_fill_super

In this path ctx is NULL, so ntfs_map_runlist_nolock() allocates a
temporary search context internally and sets ctx_needs_reset = true.
The existing resident-attribute guard in the ctx != NULL branch already
returns -EIO silently for the same condition; make the ctx_needs_reset
path consistent by replacing the WARN_ON() with the same -EIO error
return.

This causes the crafted image to be rejected with a mount error instead
of triggering a kernel warning.

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Sat, 15 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: fix WARN_ON for resident attribute in ntfs_map_runlist_nolock() When ntfs_map_runlist_nolock() needs to look up the attribute extent containing a target VCN (ctx_needs_reset == true), it calls ntfs_attr_lookup() and then expects the result to be a non-resident attribute, since only non-resident attributes have a mapping pairs array to decompress. A crafted NTFS image can place a resident attribute where a non-resident one is expected, causing ntfs_attr_lookup() to succeed but return a resident attribute record. Previously this was caught only by a WARN_ON(), which does not stop execution. The code then falls through to read a->data.non_resident.highest_vcn from what is actually a resident attribute, accessing the wrong union member and corrupting the VCN range check. The caller path triggering this warning during mount is: ntfs_map_runlist_nolock ntfs_empty_logfile load_system_files ntfs_fill_super In this path ctx is NULL, so ntfs_map_runlist_nolock() allocates a temporary search context internally and sets ctx_needs_reset = true. The existing resident-attribute guard in the ctx != NULL branch already returns -EIO silently for the same condition; make the ctx_needs_reset path consistent by replacing the WARN_ON() with the same -EIO error return. This causes the crafted image to be rejected with a mount error instead of triggering a kernel warning.
Title ntfs: fix WARN_ON for resident attribute in ntfs_map_runlist_nolock()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-15T05:53:47.388Z

Reserved: 2026-08-09T03:40:39.911Z

Link: CVE-2026-72185

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-15T06:21:36.870

Modified: 2026-08-15T06:21:36.870

Link: CVE-2026-72185

cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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