Vulnerability Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: make system files immutable to prevent corruption When a system file such as $Bitmap is exposed via show_sys_files and written from userspace, the volume is corrupted and, because the cluster allocator scans $Bitmap through the same inode's page cache, a write to $Bitmap also deadlocks writeback against the folio it already holds locked. These files are maintained by the driver itself and have no valid reason to be written through the file interface. Mark base metadata files (mft_no < FILE_first_user) as immutable during inode read so the VFS rejects write, mmap, truncate and unlink with -EPERM. Directories are skipped so the root and $Extend remain usable. Internal metadata updates do not go through the VFS write path and are unaffected.
CVSS Score
CRITICAL
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8f313e92522ac41d273ea137db13ea8a8df2beed
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f72df3a4c33b64de3418ec74d1ad4f028e09d161
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-72186?
CVE-2026-72186 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.1 (CRITICAL). In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: make system files immutable to prevent corruption When a system file such as $Bitmap is exposed via show_sys_files and writt...
How severe is CVE-2026-72186?
CVE-2026-72186 has been rated CRITICAL with a CVSS base score of 9.1/10. This is considered a critical vulnerability requiring immediate attention.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-72186?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Review vendor security bulletins for remediation guidance.