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

ALSA: caiaq: Fix potential double-free at error path

The fix for caiaq driver's resource management to handle the errors
tries to release the resources in a common destructor call, but as a
sashiko review for another patch suggested, some of the audio
resources such as URBs have been already freed, and this may lead to a
double-free.

For addressing the double-free, call the common destructor function
from each place, and assure that the resource pointers get cleared.
Published: 2026-09-25
Score: n/a
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
Impact: Memory corruption leading to kernel crash and denial of service
Action: Apply Patch
AI Analysis

Impact

The flaw is a double‑free in the ALSA caiaq driver’s cleanup logic. When an error path is triggered, the driver attempts to release audio objects such as URBs that may have already been freed, corrupting the kernel heap. A kernel crash or panic can result, which effectively brings the system down until a reboot or manual intervention.

Affected Systems

The affected component is the ALSA caiaq driver in the Linux kernel. Any kernel that includes the unpatched caiaq driver code before the committed fixes may be impacted. No specific version ranges are listed, so the vulnerability applies to kernels containing the vulnerable source.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVE data does not provide an EPSS score and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, indicating no publicly known exploitation campaigns. The attack vector is not described, but the issue arises during the driver's error handling path. Exploitation could lead to a denial of service through a kernel crash, but no other impacts are documented in the official description.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 25, 2026 at 17:28 UTC.

Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

  • Update the Linux kernel to a release that includes the upstream patches referenced in the CVE references.
  • If a suitable kernel update is unavailable, unload or disable the ALSA caiaq driver to eliminate the double‑free risk.
  • Monitor system logs for kernel panics or abnormal audio subsystem errors that may indicate exploitation attempts.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 25, 2026 at 17:28 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

History

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: caiaq: Fix potential double-free at error path The fix for caiaq driver's resource management to handle the errors tries to release the resources in a common destructor call, but as a sashiko review for another patch suggested, some of the audio resources such as URBs have been already freed, and this may lead to a double-free. For addressing the double-free, call the common destructor function from each place, and assure that the resource pointers get cleared.
Title ALSA: caiaq: Fix potential double-free at error path
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-09-25T10:24:08.999Z

Reserved: 2026-09-25T10:19:56.073Z

Link: CVE-2026-98066

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-09-25T11:17:35.667

Modified: 2026-09-25T11:17:35.667

Link: CVE-2026-98066

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-09-25T17:30:17Z

Weaknesses

No weakness.