Linux kernel ntfs3 vulnerability enables kernel memory corruption/RCE and affects broadly deployed kernels; high-impact for any org running Linux with ntfs3.
CVE-2026-90048
ntfs3 heap out-of-bounds write in Linux kernel via crafted NTFS attributes
do firstUpgrade to a fixed release: < 5.15, >= 6.6.157 and <= 6.6.*, >= 6.12.110 and <= 6.12.*, >= 6.18.51 and <= 6.18.* (+2 more below).
Is CVE-2026-90048 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-90048 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 0.72% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-90048?
CVE-2026-90048 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-2026-90048?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-90048. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-90048 affect?
CVE-2026-90048 affects Linux kernel with ntfs3 driver, Systems mounting untrusted NTFS images/external drives. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-90048?
Update to patched kernel or apply ntfs3 commits; avoid mounting untrusted NTFS images.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Kernel heap OOB write via ntfs3 leading to kernel crash, local privilege escalation, or potential arbitrary kernel code execution.
Immediate action required
- affected>= 4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 and < 7e9aee7e4d9767cc3e423b3beecb01c7ebb6bbcd
- affected>= 4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 and < fa2215cf451414b0512cd6f7d37a057893811f4d
- affected>= 4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 and < d07e281f2a7710502985d6f80b95ddac8f4e81d5
- affected>= 4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 and < a84f3db72561c4d9281c5ff721ce46b9ffa7f30e
- affected>= 4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 and < 7c4841e2a62794a3bab7c1ff0540580f387e377f
- 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.
timeline
- 16 Sept 2026Published
- 18 Sept 2026Analysed by vulneraibility.com · 2 days later
- 30 Oct 2026CVE record last updated · 42 days later
- Linkgit.kernel.org /stable/c/3a38f3c71bcd9bd58d86489c364bd29a4c2c860e
- Linkgit.kernel.org /stable/c/7e9aee7e4d9767cc3e423b3beecb01c7ebb6bbcd
- Linkgit.kernel.org /stable/c/fa2215cf451414b0512cd6f7d37a057893811f4d
- Linkgit.kernel.org /stable/c/d07e281f2a7710502985d6f80b95ddac8f4e81d5
- Linkgit.kernel.org /stable/c/a84f3db72561c4d9281c5ff721ce46b9ffa7f30e
- Linkgit.kernel.org /stable/c/7c4841e2a62794a3bab7c1ff0540580f387e377f
sources
- CVE List (CVE.org): description, affected versions, references; CVE Terms of Use
- NVD: CVSS and CPE data
- FIRST EPSS: exploit probability and percentile
- Summary, impact and triage tags: written by our AI analysis pipeline from the sources above. Check them against the sources.