In the Linux kernel, the NTFS driver processes extended attribute entries without verifying that sufficient data remains for the next_entry_offset field. This omission allows the kernel to read beyond the intended structure, potentially exposing kernel memory contents. The weakness corresponds to an out‑of‑bounds read flaw, which can disclose information without prior elevation of privileges.

All Linux kernel releases lacking the commit that adds a bounds check to ntfs_ea_lookup and ntfs_listxattr are affected. The affected kernel versions are not listed in the CVE payload, so administrators should verify whether their current kernel build contains the commit that introduced the check.

Based on the description, the likely attack vector is local interaction with NTFS filesystems; an attacker must be able to access or mount a malicious NTFS partition on the host to trigger the vulnerability. The EPSS score is less than 1 %, indicating low exploitation probability; the CVSS score of 9.8 indicates high severity. If triggered, the out‑of‑bounds read could expose sensitive data.