---
id: CVE-2026-98266
title: |-
  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 synchroniz…
summary: |-
  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 synchroniz…
severity: high
vendor: Linux
product: Linux
affected:
  - >-
    Linux >= 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <
    5c0df40aa577e405c458e44e8d458dd78407f4af
  - >-
    Linux >= 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <
    2dec4642589a663e064e4411d92d6e8fa250d53b
  - >-
    Linux >= 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <
    398b21608955c9712a012355b69a39407367edc9
  - >-
    Linux >= 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <
    fd95e68df6fe66344161a1329cbe5e5805e7b704
  - Linux 2.6.12
published: '2026-10-06'
updated: '2026-10-07'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-07T07:17:07.540'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98266'
references:
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2dec4642589a663e064e4411d92d6e8fa250d53b'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/398b21608955c9712a012355b69a39407367edc9'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c0df40aa577e405c458e44e8d458dd78407f4af'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fd95e68df6fe66344161a1329cbe5e5805e7b704'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98266.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-98266'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2546483'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98266'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98266'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-98266.mbox
tags:
  - nvd
  - cve.org
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
epss: 0.00168
epssPercentile: 0.0603
ingestedAt: '2026-10-06T08:50:17.424Z'
cvss: 7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe:
  - CWE-825
---

## Overview

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.

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, … · updated 2026-10-10 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98266.json)