CVE-2026-72202

ntfs: avoid heap allocation for free-cluster readahead state

HIGH
7.5
CVSS Score
Published: August 15, 2026 at 05:53 AM UTC
Updated: August 18, 2026 at 07:16 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
HIGH7.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.5%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: avoid heap allocation for free-cluster readahead state get_nr_free_clusters() allocates a temporary file_ra_state before it publishes the precomputed free cluster count, sets NVolFreeClusterKnown(), and wakes vol->free_waitq. If that allocation fails, the worker returns without setting the flag or waking waiters, so callers waiting for the free count can block indefinitely. The readahead state is only used synchronously while scanning the bitmap. Keep it on the stack and pass it by address to the readahead helper. This eliminates the early allocation failure path instead of adding a special case that publishes a conservative count and wakes the waitqueue. Zero-initialize the on-stack state because file_ra_state_init() only sets ra_pages and prev_pos. Apply the same treatment to __get_nr_free_mft_records(), which scans the MFT bitmap with the same short-lived readahead state.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

7.1 ≤ v < 7.1.57.1 ≤ v < 7.26251f0b0de7d645e3591931ca4c11d8322c1866f7.1
Vendor states this is fixed in 40ee64e633e5e413f2255bb48c063977d8c86f34 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in c05132077df57a384919f61d7f8a8e76d748a6d4 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.1.5 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.2 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

CVSS

7.5HIGHLinux
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusRECEIVED

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