Linux Kernel up to 7.2-rc5 ALSA usb-audio snd_usbmidi_akai_output max_transfer/transfer_buffer_length out-of-bounds write

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
8.6	$5k-$25k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.150/6.12.102/6.18.43/7.1.7/7.2-rc5 and classified as very critical. This vulnerability affects the function snd_usbmidi_akai_output of the component ALSA usb-audio. Such manipulation of the argument max_transfer/transfer_buffer_length leads to out-of-bounds write. This vulnerability is referenced as CVE-2026-74499. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. No exploit is available.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as very critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.150/6.12.102/6.18.43/7.1.7/7.2-rc5. Affected by this issue is the function snd_usbmidi_akai_output of the component ALSA usb-audio. The manipulation of the argument max_transfer/transfer_buffer_length with an unknown input leads to a out-of-bounds write vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-787. The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: usb-audio: fix OOB write in snd_usbmidi_akai_output() snd_usbmidi_akai_output() computes its fill-loop bound buf_end = ep->max_transfer - MAX_AKAI_SYSEX_LEN - 1; as a signed int, so a small device-advertised bulk-OUT max_transfer makes buf_end negative. The loop guard then compares the u32 urb->transfer_buffer_length against that negative int: the usual arithmetic conversion turns buf_end into a large unsigned value, so the guard stays true and each iteration keeps appending SysEx framing and payload bytes past the end of the URB transfer buffer, which is only max_transfer bytes long. A USB device that advertises a tiny bulk-OUT endpoint can therefore trigger an attacker-length- and content-controlled heap out-of-bounds write when a process writes to the created /dev/snd/midiC*D* node. Return early when there is no room for even one SysEx, so the loop is never entered with a bound that would wrap. The loop is the last statement of the function, so bailing out is equivalent to it not running. Discovered by XBOW, triaged by Baul Lee <[email protected]>

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-74499 since 08/15/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be launched remotely. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $5k-$25k (estimation calculated on 08/15/2026).

Upgrading to version 6.6.151, 6.12.103, 6.18.44, 7.1.8 or 7.2-rc6 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 29a4c29943631301e85f5e9d10f25741bd78e7ba/9b22a5c8310b0d55d04f5f0159b913a2fb8b444f/b5305a0d0bb8e90a6fc9f88270d5f6c9b8c40081/2b7a0f330dd90dd1a7657cec0db019ee1efa4372/0970274613fb463d376211450cab066d34ebfe6a is able to eliminate this problem.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.6.150
• 6.12.102
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 6.18.42
• 6.18.43
• 7.1.0
• 7.1.1
• 7.1.2
• 7.1.3
• 7.1.4
• 7.1.5
• 7.1.6
• 7.1.7
• 7.2-rc1
• 7.2-rc2
• 7.2-rc3
• 7.2-rc4
• 7.2-rc5

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 9.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 8.6

VulDB Base Score: 9.0
VulDB Temp Score: 8.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Out-of-bounds write
CWE: CWE-787 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.6.151/6.12.103/6.18.44/7.1.8/7.2-rc6
Patch: 29a4c29943631301e85f5e9d10f25741bd78e7ba/9b22a5c8310b0d55d04f5f0159b913a2fb8b444f/b5305a0d0bb8e90a6fc9f88270d5f6c9b8c40081/2b7a0f330dd90dd1a7657cec0db019ee1efa4372/0970274613fb463d376211450cab066d34ebfe6a

Timelineinfo

08/15/2026 Advisory disclosed
08/15/2026 +0 days CVE reserved
08/15/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
08/15/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-74499 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-74499
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-390800

Entryinfo

Created: 08/15/2026 15:15
Changes: 08/15/2026 15:15 (60)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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