Kernel-level flaw in Linux ntfs3 affects widespread Linux hosts and endpoints; can crash or be abused locally via common vectors (USB automount), risking broad disruption.
CVE-2026-72194
Linux kernel ntfs3 stack overflow via crafted NTFS mount causing system panic.
Is CVE-2026-72194 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-72194 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.75% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-72194?
CVE-2026-72194 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 9.8. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-72194?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-72194. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-72194 affect?
CVE-2026-72194 affects Linux kernel (ntfs3 driver), Linux desktops with automount (USB), Servers mounting NTFS volumes, Embedded Linux devices using ntfs3. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-72194?
Update Linux kernel to patched release; avoid/unmount untrusted NTFS and disable automount until patched.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Mounting a crafted NTFS image can trigger unbounded recursion in ntfs3, overflowing kernel stack -> kernel panic/DoS; may enable local privilege escalation.
Immediate action required
- affected>= 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 and < 99031d4f63c785d2a985b6a4c64c4256f7117052
- affected>= 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 and < 65357a81f64cb3fbe13b4b937586755e4b3a072f
- affected>= 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 and < 96fb64f9da86fd2dbd78fbe9d9e41ae27e12ce34
- affected>= 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 and < 78612f478f9fadcec4f9b3b089970da67ffb47e9
- affected>= 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 and < 908c9243ba309997b73cbda3e4c563d0fb345ee9
- affected>= 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 and < fdf50c788e0991e42a187ff75479a0df7fb752f1
- affected>= 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 and < 1ebd684b8f627f75bc3e03f8b2ad8400fd1f02cd
- affected5.15
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.