CVE-2024-41018

What it actually does

Missing bounds check on ATTR_NAME_ENTRY structures in the ntfs3 driver allows out-of-bounds memory access when parsing attr_names or oatbl during NTFS metadata handling.

Why it matters to the business

Systems using the NTFS3 driver may experience kernel instability, crashes, or limited information disclosure when handling crafted or corrupted NTFS volumes, increasing downtime risk on affected Linux deployments.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker prepares a malicious NTFS filesystem image containing malformed ATTR_NAME_ENTRY data that exceeds expected bounds. When the image is mounted or accessed on a vulnerable kernel, the ntfs3 driver performs unchecked access to the structure, potentially triggering memory corruption or a crash.

How to fix it

Apply the kernel patch from commit e8f897f4afef0031fe618a8e94127a0934896aba or upgrade to a Linux kernel version that includes the out-of-bounds check for ATTR_NAME_ENTRY.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the presence of commit e8f897f4afef0031fe618a8e94127a0934896aba in the running kernel source or confirm the kernel version is newer than the vulnerable range; test by mounting known-good NTFS volumes without triggering faults.

Typical attack path

1. Craft or obtain a malicious NTFS volume with oversized or malformed attr_names entries
2. Mount the volume on a vulnerable Linux kernel using the ntfs3 driver
3. Trigger metadata parsing by listing directories or accessing files
4. Exploit resulting out-of-bounds access for denial of service or information leak

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for ntfs3-related oops, panic, or out-of-bounds access messages; correlate with recent mounting of NTFS volumes from untrusted sources.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates containing the ntfs3 bounds check fix across all affected systems
• Audit environments for use of the ntfs3 driver and restrict mounting of untrusted NTFS volumes until patched
• Monitor for kernel oops or panics related to ntfs3 after applying updates