Kernel memory corruption via stale USB audio controls
Published Jun 21, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux USB audio gadget driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during gadget teardown. u_audio.c retains snd_kcontrol pointers after snd_card_free_when_closed releases the controls, and later rate, volume, or mute notifications dereference them. Triggering requires local low-privileged access to coordinate configfs UDC unbind, closure of the last ALSA control descriptor, and USB audio control traffic; successful races expose kernel memory, corrupt heap state, or panic the kernel.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux USB audio gadget driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during gadget teardown. u_audio.c retains snd_kcontrol pointers after snd_card_free_when_closed releases the controls, and later rate, volume, or mute notifications dereference them. Triggering requires local low-privileged access to coordinate configfs UDC unbind, closure of the last ALSA control descriptor, and USB audio control traffic; successful races expose kernel memory, corrupt heap state, or panic the kernel.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-38628
- Published
- Jun 21, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-362, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 21, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=02de698ca8123782c0c6fb8ed99080e2f032b0d2 <1b739388aa3f8dfb63a9fca777e6dfa6912d0464
- Affected versionversion=02de698ca8123782c0c6fb8ed99080e2f032b0d2 <453d3fa9266e53f85377b911c19b9a4563fa88c0
- Affected versionversion=02de698ca8123782c0c6fb8ed99080e2f032b0d2 <89e66809684485590ea0b32c3178e42cba36ac09
- Affected versionversion=02de698ca8123782c0c6fb8ed99080e2f032b0d2 <bea73b58ab67fe581037ad9cdb93c2557590c068
- Affected versionversion=5.15
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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