---
id: CVE-2026-98837
title: >-
  kernel: ALSA: caiaq: unregister the input device when probe fails
  (CVE-2026-98837)
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's ALSA caiaq USB audio driver. This flaw
  allows a local attacker to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) or potentially
  escalate privileges. When device initialization fails during the probing
  process, the d…
severity: medium
cvss: 5.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-825
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 6
  - enterprise_linux 9
published: '2026-10-18'
updated: '2026-10-23'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-23T21:45:00+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98837.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98837.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-98837'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2555232'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98837'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98837'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-98837.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/df2787819bd137111b56b8631dd581b0cce7144d'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/850810c12686f80cdf7530f4f21e0157d904f739'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/84727facd8506140cd04f2b0a8b1c4ddeac41cea'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e5a413cc2a489c9427ecd3d73ad764bfb0c7103'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0b7bd20f6379bc5e431fd74d866390f5b5b63f3c'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.002
epssPercentile: 0.09734
ingestedAt: '2026-10-18T16:47:32.469Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's ALSA caiaq USB audio driver. This flaw allows a local attacker to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) or potentially escalate privileges. When device initialization fails during the probing process, the driver frees internal device state structures while leaving the associated input device registered in the operating system. Accessing device attributes on this dangling input device subsequently triggers a use-after-free condition, leading to a system crash or kernel memory corruption.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · updated 2026-10-23 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98837.json)

**kernel: ALSA: caiaq: unregister the input device when probe fails** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-10-18, updated 2026-10-23.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

## Remediation

Out of support scope