KernelScan.io

CRITICAL Introduced in 5.15

ntfs3 AttrList Overflow

CVE-2026-90048

CVSS 9.8 / 10.0 NVD

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

KernelScan AI6.7MEDIUM

01

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/ntfs3: fix slab-out-of-bounds write in ni_create_attr_list() ni_create_attr_list() allocates a fixed buffer of al_aligned(record_size) (== record_size) bytes and then walks every attribute of the primary MFT record, writing one ATTR_LIST_ENTRY per attribute and advancing the cursor by le_size(name_len), with no check against the end of the buffer; the total size is only computed after the loop. A minimum-size resident attribute occupies SIZEOF_RESIDENT (0x18 = 24) bytes on disk, but an unnamed attribute expands to le_size(0) (0x20 = 32) bytes in the list. Because the number of attributes in a record is not bounded (mi_enum_attr() accepts arbitrarily many equal-type, nameless minimum-size attributes), a crafted record packed with such attributes produces a list larger than record_size and overflows the heap buffer. This is reachable from a crafted, loop-mounted NTFS image: opening the file and adding an attribute (e.g. via setxattr) drives ntfs_set_ea() -> ni_insert_resident() -> ni_insert_attr() -> ni_ins_attr_ext() -> ni_create_attr_list(). BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in ni_create_attr_list+0xc48/0x1058 Write of size 4 at addr ffff000008984c00 by task setfattr/345 ni_create_attr_list+0xc48/0x1058 ni_ins_attr_ext+0x510/0x7c0 ni_insert_attr+0x3f8/0x70c ni_insert_resident+0xc8/0x3b0 ntfs_set_ea+0x66c/0xd28 ntfs_setxattr+0x4d8/0x5b0 __arm64_sys_setxattr+0xa4/0x124 Allocated by task 345: ni_create_attr_list+0x188/0x1058 The buggy address belongs to the cache kmalloc-1k of size 1024 (the write lands at object+1024). Size the buffer from the actual attributes instead of assuming a single record_size is always enough.

02

Engine v0.6.0

Risk summary

A crafted NTFS filesystem image can trigger a heap buffer overflow in the ntfs3 driver when the kernel creates an attribute list for a densely-packed MFT record. An attacker who can get such an image mounted (requiring root or CAP_SYS_ADMIN) can corrupt kernel heap memory, potentially leading to code execution or a system crash. Devices that accept removable media or allow privileged users to mount filesystems are at risk.

Affectedfs/ntfs3/frecord.c (ntfs3)

Vulnerability analysis

When the ntfs3 driver builds an attribute list for an MFT record, it allocates a buffer sized to a single record and writes one list entry per attribute without checking whether the entries fit. A crafted NTFS image can pack many minimum-size attributes into one record, each expanding to a larger list entry, so the total exceeds the buffer and overflows into adjacent heap memory. The fix adds a pre-pass that sums the actual size of all attribute list entries before allocating, ensuring the buffer is always large enough. The vulnerability is reachable only after mounting a crafted NTFS image, which requires real root or init-namespace CAP_SYS_ADMIN; once mounted, any unprivileged user can trigger the overflow by calling setxattr on a file in the image.

03

BranchIntroducedFixed inPatch commit
mainline5.157.3-rc17c4841e2a627
6.65.156.6.1577e9aee7e4d97
7.25.157.2.5a84f3db72561
6.185.156.18.51d07e281f2a77
6.125.156.12.110fa2215cf4514