Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5 ALSA Core sound/core/init.c snd_card_do_free use after free

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.8$0-$5k0.00+

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5 and classified as very critical. This issue affects the function snd_card_do_free of the file sound/core/init.c of the component ALSA Core. Such manipulation leads to use after free. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2026-90198. The attack must be carried out locally. There is no available exploit. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5. It has been rated as very critical. Affected by this issue is the function snd_card_do_free of the file sound/core/init.c of the component ALSA Core. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: core: Fix use-after-free in snd_card_do_free() A use-after-free was detected in snd_card_do_free() when a sound card managed by devres is unbound while a user-space application still holds an open file descriptor. For managed cards, the memory is allocated using devres_alloc(), and its release function is set to __snd_card_release(), which calls snd_card_free(). When the device is unbound, the unbind thread calls snd_card_free(), which drops a reference to the card's device. If the user thread still has an open file descriptor, the reference count does not reach zero, and the unbind thread blocks on wait_for_completion(&released). When the user thread closes the file descriptor, it drops the final reference, invoking the device release callback release_card_device(), which calls snd_card_do_free(). snd_card_do_free() performs cleanup and calls complete(card->release_completion). This wakes up the unbind thread, which returns from snd_card_free() and __snd_card_release(). The devres core then immediately frees the memory block containing the snd_card structure. Meanwhile, the user thread continues execution in snd_card_do_free() and evaluates `if (!card->managed)`. It reads the `managed` boolean from the snd_card structure that was just freed by the unbind thread, triggering a KASAN use-after-free. Fix this by caching the value of card->managed in a local variable before calling complete(). This ensures that the card pointer is not dereferenced after the unbind thread has been woken up and potentially freed the card. BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in snd_card_do_free sound/core/init.c:604 [inline] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in release_card_device+0x1ab/0x1b0 sound/core/init.c:153 Read of size 1 at addr ffff8881912ec909 by task syz-executor130/5857 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0xe8/0x150 lib/dump_stack.c:120 print_address_description+0x55/0x1e0 mm/kasan/report.c:378 print_report+0x58/0x70 mm/kasan/report.c:482 kasan_report+0x117/0x150 mm/kasan/report.c:595 snd_card_do_free sound/core/init.c:604 [inline] release_card_device+0x1ab/0x1b0 sound/core/init.c:153 device_release+0xc4/0x1f0 drivers/base/core.c:-1 kobject_cleanup lib/kobject.c:689 [inline] kobject_release lib/kobject.c:720 [inline] kref_put include/linux/kref.h:65 [inline] kobject_put+0x222/0x550 lib/kobject.c:737 snd_card_file_remove+0x331/0x390 sound/core/init.c:1125 snd_pcm_release+0x12c/0x160 sound/core/pcm_native.c:2986 __fput+0x418/0xa50 fs/file_table.c:512 fput_close_sync+0x11f/0x240 fs/file_table.c:617 __do_sys_close fs/open.c:1511 [inline] __se_sys_close fs/open.c:1496 [inline] __x64_sys_close+0x7e/0x110 fs/open.c:1496 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:63 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x174/0x580 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f </TASK>

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-90198 since 09/11/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. Local access is required to approach this attack. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 09/17/2026).

Upgrading to version 5.15.221, 6.1.188, 6.6.157, 6.12.110, 6.18.52, 7.2.6 or 7.3-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch d3d67f680dbc23a5e5e3d3ecfdbf700465809877/09b27dd01b98480334c10bf6fb8d41d5fb063a4b/03c5dabc8f16bc212a5b26d2425c03a55e55a86d/6da22efb5cf490b06ffbca32b10fc8af7654fee0/a561012868ae37c28f61fdf658bf6f251bc0e8e8/7d9b5e86775fa97a487da08b9aa76e1674bf8868/5ae1a690c522fea2900ff56c8c2ace7b059f5e04 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.2
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.8

VulDB Base Score: 8.2
VulDB Temp Score: 7.8
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

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

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.15.221/6.1.188/6.6.157/6.12.110/6.18.52/7.2.6/7.3-rc1
Patch: d3d67f680dbc23a5e5e3d3ecfdbf700465809877/09b27dd01b98480334c10bf6fb8d41d5fb063a4b/03c5dabc8f16bc212a5b26d2425c03a55e55a86d/6da22efb5cf490b06ffbca32b10fc8af7654fee0/a561012868ae37c28f61fdf658bf6f251bc0e8e8/7d9b5e86775fa97a487da08b9aa76e1674bf8868/5ae1a690c522fea2900ff56c8c2ace7b059f5e04

Timelineinfo

09/11/2026 CVE reserved
09/17/2026 +6 days Advisory disclosed
09/17/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
09/17/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-90198 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-90198
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-406718

Entryinfo

Created: 09/17/2026 20:38
Changes: 09/17/2026 20:38 (60)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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