published October 6, 2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ALSA: core: Fix potential UAF after asynchronous card release
Usually a sound driver releases the resources assigned to the card via
snd_card_free(), and it synchronizes with the whole release procedure.
However, when the card is released asynchronously via
snd_card_free_when_closed() like USB-audio driver, the situation is
slightly different; although the snd_card_disconnect() call at the
disconnection guarantees that any newer accesses will be gated, the
in-flight tasks might be still accessing to the underlying card->dev
device even after the disconnection, which would cause a
use-after-free in the end, as reported by fuzzers.
For addressing the bug above, this patch takes the refcount of
card->dev at initialization of the card object, and releases at its
destructor. This assures the availability of the card->dev in its
whole lifecycle.