CVE-2025-71266

Medium

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: ntfs3: check return value of indx_find to avoid infinite loop We found an infinite loop bug in the ntfs3 file system that can lead to a Denial-of-Service (DoS) condition. A malformed dentry in the ntfs3 filesystem can cause the kernel to hang during the lookup operations. By setting the HAS_SUB_NODE flag in an INDEX_ENTRY within a directory's INDEX_ALLOCATION block and manipulating the VCN pointer, an attacker can cause the indx_find() function to repeatedly read the same block, allocating 4 KB of memory each time. The kernel lacks VCN loop detection and depth limits, causing memory exhaustion and an OOM crash. This patch adds a return value check for fnd_push() to prevent a memory exhaustion vulnerability caused by infinite loops. When the index exceeds the size of the fnd->nodes array, fnd_push() returns -EINVAL. The indx_find() function checks this return value and stops processing, preventing further memory allocation.

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2026-03-18
Last modified 2026-05-21
CVSS version 3.1
Patch available
Yes

CVSS 3.1 score

5.5

out of 10
Medium
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Vector string
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness type

CWE-835

CVE-2025-71266 is a Infinite Loop vulnerability

What is Infinite Loop?

The product contains an iteration that does not exit even when it should. Learn more on MITRE CWE

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 5.15 and later are affected. Fixed in 5.15.202, 6.1.165, 6.6.128, 6.12.75, 6.18.16, 6.19.6, 7.0 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 5.15
Fixed in
✓ 5.15.202 5.15.x ✓ 6.1.165 6.1.x ✓ 6.6.128 6.6.x ✓ 6.12.75 6.12.x ✓ 6.18.16 6.18.x ✓ 6.19.6 6.19.x ✓ 7.0

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2025-71266 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.

7 patch commits total View all on NVD

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2025-71266?

    CVE-2025-71266 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as an Infinite Loop flaw (CWE-835) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 5.15 onward and has been patched in 5.15.202, 6.1.165, 6.6.128 and others. CVE-2025-71266 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2025-71266?

    CVE-2025-71266 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H .

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2025-71266?

    Yes — CVE-2025-71266 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.15.202, 6.1.165, 6.6.128 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 5.15 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2025-71266 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2025-71266 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

  • What is Infinite Loop (CWE-835)?

    The product contains an iteration that does not exit even when it should. View CWE-835 on MITRE CWE →

Back to
All CVEs
View on
NVD / NIST