CVE-2026-43127: ntfs3: fix circular locking dependency in run_unpack_ex

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.1% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-05-06 · updated 2026-10-21
Weakness: CWE-667

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs3: fix circular locking dependency in run_unpack_ex Syzbot reported a circular locking dependency between wnd->rw_lock (sbi->used.bitmap) and ni->file.run_lock. The deadlock scenario: 1. ntfs_extend_mft() takes ni->file.run_lock then wnd->rw_lock. 2. run_unpack_ex() takes wnd->rw_lock then tries to acquire ni->file.run_lock inside ntfs_refresh_zone(). This creates an AB-BA deadlock. Fix this by using down_read_trylock() instead of down_read() when acquiring run_lock in run_unpack_ex(). If the lock is contended, skip ntfs_refresh_zone() - the MFT zone will be refreshed on the next MFT operation. This breaks the circular dependency since we never block waiting for run_lock while holding wnd->rw_lock.

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 6.6.66 before 6.18.16; from 6.19 before 6.19.6 — fixed in 6.18.16, 6.19.6

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 6.18.16, 6.19.6. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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