CVE-2026-97418 - Vulnerability Details

- ALSA: es18xx: check control allocation before private data setup

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ALSA: es18xx: check control allocation before private data setup

snd_es18xx_mixer() creates controls with snd_ctl_new1() and then stores
bookkeeping pointers or sets private_free before calling snd_ctl_add().
snd_ctl_new1() can return NULL on allocation failure, so those writes
can dereference a NULL control pointer.

Check the returned control pointers before using them and return -ENOMEM
on allocation failure.

Published: 2026-09-24

Score: n/a

EPSS: n/a

KEV: No

Impact:

Action:

Analysis

Impact

A flaw in the ALSA es18xx driver causes a NULL pointer dereference during control allocation. When snd_ctl_new1() fails, subsequent writes occur on a NULL control pointer, which can crash the kernel. The vulnerability stems from the missing null‑check before using the returned control pointer.

Affected Systems

Linux kernel builds that include the ALSA es18xx audio codec driver. No specific version range is listed in the data; any kernel containing the pre‑fix code is potentially vulnerable.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS score is not provided and EPSS is unavailable; however, the defect can cause a kernel panic. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, indicating no known active exploitation. Attacks would require local access to load or manipulate the es18xx driver, and the impact is a system crash. The lack of published exploits and the local privilege requirement suggest a moderate to high severity if the kernel is unpatched.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions

Linux

unaffected

Version	Status	Constraints
`1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2`	affected	< 978079238f40f1a08ddb12ce208c484246f6a1b0
`1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2`	affected	< d88c24b76f285df9d206751e22c28e2613258cb3
`1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2`	affected	< 422e42b7c2b882ba1d16d4afc8891bcea7c4de93
`0`	affected	< 6.12.111
`0`	affected	< 6.18.53

Linux

affected

Version	Status	Constraints
`6.12.111`	unaffected	≤ 6.12.*
`6.18.53`	unaffected	≤ 6.18.*
`7.2`	unaffected	≤ *

No data.

Vendor Product Confidence Versions

Linux

Linux Kernel

99%

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`[1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2,978079238f40f1a08ddb12ce208c484246f6a1b0)`	affected	code_commit	—
`[1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2,d88c24b76f285df9d206751e22c28e2613258cb3)`	affected	code_commit	—
`[1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2,422e42b7c2b882ba1d16d4afc8891bcea7c4de93)`	affected	code_commit	—
`[0,6.12.111)`	affected	semver	—
`[0,6.18.53)`	affected	semver	—

Linux

Linux Kernel

99%

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`[6.12.111,6.12.*]`	unaffected	generic	—
`[6.18.53,6.18.*]`	unaffected	generic	—
`[7.2,*]`	unaffected	generic	—

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

Update the kernel to a version that includes the ALSA es18xx NULL‑check fix.
If an immediate kernel update is unavailable, blacklist or otherwise disable the es18xx driver module so it cannot be loaded.
Monitor system logs for kernel panics or related errors involving ALSA es18xx and restrict privileged users from loading the driver.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 25, 2026 at 04:14 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

No CVSS v4.0

No CVSS v3.1

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

No EPSS score available.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

References

Link	Providers
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/422e42b7c2b882ba1d16d4afc8891bcea7c4de93
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/978079238f40f1a08ddb12ce208c484246f6a1b0
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d88c24b76f285df9d206751e22c28e2613258cb3

History

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 04:30:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Weaknesses		CWE-476

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Description		In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: es18xx: check control allocation before private data setup snd_es18xx_mixer() creates controls with snd_ctl_new1() and then stores bookkeeping pointers or sets private_free before calling snd_ctl_add(). snd_ctl_new1() can return NULL on allocation failure, so those writes can dereference a NULL control pointer. Check the returned control pointers before using them and return -ENOMEM on allocation failure.
Title		ALSA: es18xx: check control allocation before private data setup
First Time appeared		Linux Linux linux Kernel
CPEs		cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::
Vendors & Products		Linux Linux linux Kernel
References		https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/422e42b7c2b882ba1d16d4afc8891bcea7c4de93 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/978079238f40f1a08ddb12ce208c484246f6a1b0 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d88c24b76f285df9d206751e22c28e2613258cb3

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel

MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published: 2026-09-24T16:03:27.939Z

Updated: 2026-09-24T16:03:27.939Z

Reserved: 2026-09-24T14:53:16.868Z

Link: CVE-2026-97418

Vulnrichment

No data.

NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-09-24T17:17:19.613

Modified: 2026-09-24T17:17:19.613

Link: CVE-2026-97418

Redhat

No data.

OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-09-25T04:15:13Z

Weaknesses

CWE-476
NULL Pointer Dereference

Impact

Affected Systems

Risk and Exploitability

Tracking

Subscriptions

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