CVE-2022-30784 in NTFS-3G
Summary
by MITRE • 05/26/2022
A crafted NTFS image can cause heap exhaustion in ntfs_get_attribute_value in NTFS-3G through 2021.8.22.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-30784 represents a critical heap memory exhaustion issue within the NTFS-3G file system driver version 2021.8.22 and earlier. This flaw exists in the ntfs_get_attribute_value function which processes attribute values from NTFS file system images. The vulnerability manifests when a maliciously crafted NTFS image is processed by the NTFS-3G driver, leading to excessive heap memory consumption that can ultimately result in system instability or denial of service conditions. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and memory allocation handling within the attribute processing logic, where the driver fails to properly constrain memory usage when encountering malformed or specially constructed attribute data structures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of NTFS image files containing crafted attribute values that trigger excessive memory allocation patterns. When the ntfs_get_attribute_value function processes these malformed attributes, it does not implement proper bounds checking or memory usage limits that would prevent uncontrolled heap growth. This behavior aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input ranges, and CWE-772, which covers missing release of resource after effective lifetime. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through normal file system operations when processing external storage devices or network shares containing maliciously formatted NTFS images. Attackers can exploit this by creating specially crafted NTFS images that, when mounted or accessed through NTFS-3G, cause the heap memory allocation to spiral out of control, consuming available system resources and potentially crashing the entire system or making it unresponsive.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-30784 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially compromise system availability and stability across various operating systems that utilize NTFS-3G. Systems running Linux distributions with NTFS-3G support, particularly those that automatically mount external storage devices or process untrusted NTFS images from network shares, face significant risk. The vulnerability affects both desktop and server environments where NTFS file systems are accessed, including virtualization platforms, cloud environments, and embedded systems that rely on NTFS-3G for cross-platform file system compatibility. This flaw can be leveraged by adversaries to perform persistent denial of service attacks against systems that process NTFS content, potentially affecting critical infrastructure or enterprise environments where file system interoperability is essential. The attack vector is particularly concerning in automated environments where systems may automatically attempt to access and process NTFS images without user intervention, making the vulnerability exploitable through passive means.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-30784 should prioritize immediate patching of affected NTFS-3G versions to 2022.1.1 or later, which contain the necessary memory allocation and input validation fixes. System administrators should implement strict file system access controls and avoid mounting untrusted NTFS images from external sources until proper patches are applied. Network administrators should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to prevent unauthorized access to systems that may process NTFS content. The vulnerability can be addressed through the application of security patches that introduce proper bounds checking in the ntfs_get_attribute_value function, ensuring that memory allocations are properly constrained and validated against expected attribute value sizes. Additionally, implementing monitoring solutions that detect unusual memory consumption patterns or heap allocation behavior can provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict NTFS-3G usage to trusted environments and conduct regular security assessments to identify systems running vulnerable versions of the software. The fix addresses the underlying memory management issues by implementing proper input validation that prevents excessive heap allocation and ensures that attribute value processing respects system memory constraints, thereby preventing the heap exhaustion conditions that lead to system instability.