CVE-2026-31716: fs/ntfs3: validate rec->used in journal-replay file record check
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
fs/ntfs3: validate rec->used in journal-replay file record check
checkfilerecord() validates rec->total against the record size but never validates rec->used. The doaction() journal-replay handlers read rec->used from disk and use it to compute memmove lengths:
DeleteAttribute: memmove(attr, ..., used - asize - roff) CreateAttribute: memmove(..., attr, used - roff) changeattrsize: memmove(..., used - PtrOffset(rec, next))
When rec->used is smaller than the offset of a validated attribute, or larger than the record size, these subtractions can underflow allowing us to copy huge amounts of memory in to a 4kb buffer, generally considered a bad idea overall.
This requires a corrupted filesystem, which isn't a threat model the kernel really needs to worry about, but checking for such an obvious out-of-bounds value is good to keep things robust, especially on journal replay
Fix this up by bounding rec->used correctly.
This is much like commit b2bc7c44ed17 ("fs/ntfs3: Fix slab-out-of-bounds read in DeleteIndexEntryRoot") which checked different values in this same switch statement.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Configuration
Apply the upstream fix that bounds/validates rec->used correctly in fs/ntfs3 journal-replay file record checking so the memmove length computations (e.g., used - roff / used - asize - roff and used - PtrOffset(rec, next)) cannot underflow or become out-of-bounds.
Linux kernel fs/ntfs3 journal-replay file record checking validate rec->used in journal-replay file record check (change_attr_size / do_action journal-replay handlers) = Ensure rec->used is validated against the record size before using it in memmove length calculations
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-31716?
CVE-2026-31716 has a high severity rating due to the potential for information disclosure or data corruption.
How do I fix CVE-2026-31716?
To fix CVE-2026-31716, update your Linux kernel to the latest version that includes the patch for this vulnerability.
What software is affected by CVE-2026-31716?
CVE-2026-31716 affects the Linux kernel specifically within the ntfs3 filesystem module.
What does CVE-2026-31716 exploit?
CVE-2026-31716 exploits a validation issue where the rec->used value is not properly checked during journal replay.
Is there a workaround for CVE-2026-31716?
Currently, the best approach for CVE-2026-31716 is to apply the available kernel updates as no reliable workaround is suggested.