Kernel-level vulnerability in widely deployed Linux NTFS driver could enable kernel compromise across many distros; high-impact, broad reach.
CVE-2026-72199
Linux kernel NTFS index root validation flaw allows kernel memory corruption.
Is CVE-2026-72199 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-72199 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 0.52% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-72199?
CVE-2026-72199 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-2026-72199?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-72199. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-72199 affect?
CVE-2026-72199 affects Linux kernel (ntfs/ntfs3 driver), Linux distributions (Ubuntu, RHEL, Debian, SUSE, etc.), Hosts processing NTFS volumes or images. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-72199?
Apply vendor kernel updates ASAP; avoid mounting untrusted NTFS media/images.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Malformed NTFS $INDEX_ROOT can cause kernel memory corruption, enabling local privilege escalation or kernel crash via mount/file access.
Immediate action required
- affected>= 0a8ac0c1fa0b99a5b29002bc7f232ed7eafddef0 and < bfb01dd319b6b4c3e79756de7b75ccf0b9a0a247
- affected>= 0a8ac0c1fa0b99a5b29002bc7f232ed7eafddef0 and < fcf5bf0e8570798970e3ae8c95d04765ba2c5b97
- affected7.1
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.