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CVE Record

CVE-2023-54196: fs/ntfs3: Fix NULL pointer dereference in 'ni_write_inode'

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/ntfs3: Fix NULL pointer dereference in 'ni_write_inode' Syzbot found the following issue: Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000016 Mem abort info: ESR = 0x0000000096000006 EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits SET = 0, FnV = 0 EA = 0, S1PTW = 0 FSC = 0x06: level 2 translation fault Data abort info: ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000006 CM = 0, WnR = 0 user pgtable: 4k pages, 48-bit VAs, pgdp=000000010af56000 [0000000000000016] pgd=08000001090da003, p4d=08000001090da003, pud=08000001090ce003, pmd=0000000000000000 Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000006 [#1] PREEMPT SMP Modules linked in: CPU: 1 PID: 3036 Comm: syz-executor206 Not tainted 6.0.0-rc6-syzkaller-17739-g16c9f284e746 #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 08/26/2022 pstate: 80400005 (Nzcv daif +PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) pc : is_rec_inuse fs/ntfs3/ntfs.h:313 [inline] pc : ni_write_inode+0xac/0x798 fs/ntfs3/frecord.c:3232 lr : ni_write_inode+0xa0/0x798 fs/ntfs3/frecord.c:3226 sp : ffff8000126c3800 x29: ffff8000126c3860 x28: 0000000000000000 x27: ffff0000c8b02000 x26: ffff0000c7502320 x25: ffff0000c7502288 x24: 0000000000000000 x23: ffff80000cbec91c x22: ffff0000c8b03000 x21: ffff0000c8b02000 x20: 0000000000000001 x19: ffff0000c75024d8 x18: 00000000000000c0 x17: ffff80000dd1b198 x16: ffff80000db59158 x15: ffff0000c4b6b500 x14: 00000000000000b8 x13: 0000000000000000 x12: ffff0000c4b6b500 x11: ff80800008be1b60 x10: 0000000000000000 x9 : ffff0000c4b6b500 x8 : 0000000000000000 x7 : ffff800008be1b50 x6 : 0000000000000000 x5 : 0000000000000000 x4 : 0000000000000001 x3 : 0000000000000000 x2 : 0000000000000008 x1 : 0000000000000001 x0 : 0000000000000000 Call trace: is_rec_inuse fs/ntfs3/ntfs.h:313 [inline] ni_write_inode+0xac/0x798 fs/ntfs3/frecord.c:3232 ntfs_evict_inode+0x54/0x84 fs/ntfs3/inode.c:1744 evict+0xec/0x334 fs/inode.c:665 iput_final fs/inode.c:1748 [inline] iput+0x2c4/0x324 fs/inode.c:1774 ntfs_new_inode+0x7c/0xe0 fs/ntfs3/fsntfs.c:1660 ntfs_create_inode+0x20c/0xe78 fs/ntfs3/inode.c:1278 ntfs_create+0x54/0x74 fs/ntfs3/namei.c:100 lookup_open fs/namei.c:3413 [inline] open_last_lookups fs/namei.c:3481 [inline] path_openat+0x804/0x11c4 fs/namei.c:3688 do_filp_open+0xdc/0x1b8 fs/namei.c:3718 do_sys_openat2+0xb8/0x22c fs/open.c:1311 do_sys_open fs/open.c:1327 [inline] __do_sys_openat fs/open.c:1343 [inline] __se_sys_openat fs/open.c:1338 [inline] __arm64_sys_openat+0xb0/0xe0 fs/open.c:1338 __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:38 [inline] invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:52 [inline] el0_svc_common+0x138/0x220 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:142 do_el0_svc+0x48/0x164 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:206 el0_svc+0x58/0x150 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:636 el0t_64_sync_handler+0x84/0xf0 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:654 el0t_64_sync+0x18c/0x190 Code: 97dafee4 340001b4 f9401328 2a1f03e0 (79402d14) ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- Above issue may happens as follows: ntfs_new_inode mi_init mi->mrec = kmalloc(sbi->record_size, GFP_NOFS); -->failed to allocate memory if (!mi->mrec) return -ENOMEM; iput iput_final evict ntfs_evict_inode ni_write_inode is_rec_inuse(ni->mi.mrec)-> As 'ni->mi.mrec' is NULL trigger NULL-ptr-deref To solve above issue if new inode failed make inode bad before call 'iput()' in 'ntfs_new_inode()'.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-54196 is a Linux kernel ntfs3 filesystem bug that can crash the kernel when inode creation fails and cleanup later dereferences a NULL record pointer. The evidence points to an availability issue, not data theft or remote compromise.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted availability risk for Linux systems that mount NTFS with ntfs3. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, faster where NTFS mounts are exposed to untrusted users or removable media workflows.

Technical view

In fs/ntfs3, kmalloc failure in ntfs_new_inode can leave ni->mi.mrec NULL. Subsequent iput eviction reaches ntfs_evict_inode, ni_write_inode, and is_rec_inuse, causing a NULL pointer dereference. The stated fix marks the inode bad before iput when new inode creation fails.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to Linux systems using the in-kernel ntfs3 driver to mount and write to NTFS filesystems. Hosts that do not mount NTFS through ntfs3 are unlikely to be affected based on the provided sources.

Exploitation context

The source shows syzbot triggering a kernel oops through an NTFS inode creation failure path. There is no KEV listing and no cited evidence of active exploitation, public weaponization, privilege escalation, or remote attackability.

Researcher notes

The bundle provides kernel crash details and stable commit references but no CVSS, CWE, exploitability analysis, or distribution-specific package status. Affected-version data appears range-like and should be validated against vendor kernel backports before declaring assets vulnerable.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify kernels using the ntfs3 filesystem driver for NTFS mounts.
  • Review vendor kernel advisories for backported fixes for CVE-2023-54196.
  • Update to a kernel build containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Reduce unnecessary NTFS write mounts on production systems until patched.
  • Prioritize systems where untrusted users can interact with NTFS mounts.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory running kernel versions across Linux assets.
  • Check whether ntfs3 is loaded or NTFS filesystems are mounted with ntfs3.
  • Map kernel packages to vendor advisories for this CVE.
  • Confirm patched builds include the ni_write_inode NULL dereference fix.
  • Review crash logs for ntfs3, ni_write_inode, or NULL pointer dereference entries.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
6

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
5Source links

Vulnerability timeline

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  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

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  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

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Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17, 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17, 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17, 82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17unaffected
LinuxLinux5.15, 0, 5.15.113, 6.1.81, 6.3.4, 6.4affected
Weakness

CWE details

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