ntfs: avoid calling post_write_mst_fixup() for invalid index_block (CVE-2026-64431) | HOL Guard CVE

High · CVSS 7.8CVE-2026-64431

ntfs: avoid calling post_write_mst_fixup() for invalid index_block

Answer in brief

CVE-2026-64431 records a High severity (CVSS 7.8) vulnerability in ntfs: avoid calling post_write_mst_fixup() for invalid index_block. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. The current feed maps Linux/Linux (generic), Linux/Linux (generic). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Analysis pending evidence review

HOL Guard separates source facts from reviewed analysis. See the methodology.

Published Jul 25, 2026Updated Sep 3, 2026Source checked Sep 20, 2026First seen by HOL Aug 5, 2026Material review Sep 3, 2026

Upstream Advisory

Key facts

Risk: High · CVSS 7.8
Exploitation: Not marked as known exploited
Affected software: 5 mapped packages or products
Fix availability: Available

Why this deserves its current priority

CVSS is 7.8. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. Treat this as a source-backed prioritization signal, not a statement about your environment.

Analysis status

Analysis pending evidence review

Factual feed record only; HOL analysis is not approved for indexing. Read the methodology.

Affected scope and exposure questions

The current feed maps Linux/Linux (generic), Linux/Linux (generic). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Affected products and reported versions
Product	Affected versions	Fixed versions
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::	Not reported	Not reported
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.2:rc1::::::	Not reported	Not reported
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.2:rc2::::::	Not reported	Not reported

Mapped affected packages and fixed versions
Package	Affected range	Fixed version
Linux/Linuxgeneric	>=0a8ac0c1fa0b99a5b29002bc7f232ed7eafddef0 <e2018628301a6d9f54e34b0cb417f1688c66df1d \|\| >=0a8ac0c1fa0b99a5b29002bc7f232ed7eafddef0 <5b6eedd7cc2936f9238e852b553a1b326105bde8	e2018628301a6d9f54e34b0cb417f1688c66df1d, 5b6eedd7cc2936f9238e852b553a1b326105bde8
Linux/Linuxgeneric	7.1	Not reported

Recommended response

Check inventory. Check lockfiles and deployed manifests for Linux/Linux, Linux/Linux.
Review the reported fix. Update Linux/Linux to e2018628301a6d9f54e34b0cb417f1688c66df1d if you use the affected versions. Test the change in a non-production environment first.

Evidence timeline and material changes

Published upstream
Jul 25, 2026
Evidence: source:cvelist:source_dates:source-dates:record
Source modified
Sep 3, 2026
Evidence: source:cvelist:source_dates:source-dates:record
First seen by HOL
Aug 5, 2026

Sources and claim methodology

Upstream source description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: avoid calling post_write_mst_fixup() for invalid index_block ntfs_icx_ib_sync_write() calls post_write_mst_fixup() when ntfs_ib_write() returns an error, intending to restore the buffer after a failed write. However, ntfs_ib_write() returns an error immediately if pre_write_mst_fixup() validation fails. The caller, ntfs_icx_ib_sync_write(), interprets any error as a write failure requiring rollback. It does not differentiate between I/O errors and validation failures, and calls post_write_mst_fixup() anyway. Since post_write_mst_fixup() assumes that the index_block contents is correct, it doesn't perform the boundary checks, which results in out-of-bounds memory access. An attacker can craft a malicious NTFS image with: - large index_block.usa_ofs offset, pointing outside the ntfs_record - index_block.usa_count = 0, causing integer underflow - or index_block.usa_count larger than actual number of sectors in the ntfs_record, causing out-of-bounds access KASAN reports describing the memory corruption: ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in post_write_mst_fixup+0x19c/0x1d0 Read of size 2 at addr ffff8881586c9018 by task p/9428 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x100/0x190 print_report+0x139/0x4ad ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x19c/0x1d0 ? __virt_addr_valid+0x262/0x500 ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x19c/0x1d0 kasan_report+0xe4/0x1d0 ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x19c/0x1d0 post_write_mst_fixup+0x19c/0x1d0 ntfs_icx_ib_sync_write+0x179/0x220 ntfs_inode_sync_filename+0x83d/0x1080 __ntfs_write_inode+0x1049/0x1480 ntfs_file_fsync+0x131/0x9b0 ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in post_write_mst_fixup+0x1aa/0x1d0 Write of size 2 at addr ffff8881586c91fe by task p/9428 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x100/0x190 print_report+0x139/0x4ad ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x1aa/0x1d0 ? __virt_addr_valid+0x262/0x500 ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x1aa/0x1d0 kasan_report+0xe4/0x1d0 ? post_write_mst_fixup+0x1aa/0x1d0 post_write_mst_fixup+0x1aa/0x1d0 ntfs_icx_ib_sync_write+0x179/0x220 ntfs_inode_sync_filename+0x83d/0x1080 __ntfs_write_inode+0x1049/0x1480 ntfs_file_fsync+0x131/0x9b0 ================================================================== Let's move the post_write_mst_fixup() call to ntfs_ib_write(). The ntfs_ib_write() function calls pre_write_mst_fixup() at the beginning. If the index_block contents is invalid, pre_write_mst_fixup() fails and ntfs_ib_write() returns early without calling post_write_mst_fixup() on bad index_block.

Quoted source text, attributed separately from HOL analysis.