CVE-2026-23089

Kernel use-after-free read via stale USB mixer controls

Published Feb 4, 2026 · Updated Feb 4, 2026

Use-after-free in the ALSA USB-audio mixer in Linux Kernel allows local users to trigger a stale kernel-memory read during card registration. The snd_usb_mixer_free() cleanup path frees mixer->id_elems after mixer creation fails but leaves registered controls referencing that memory, so the OSS mixer later invokes callbacks through dangling references. Reachability requires a failing USB-audio mixer setup during local device probing; published evidence does not establish code execution or data disclosure beyond the invalid access.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the ALSA USB-audio mixer in Linux Kernel allows local users to trigger a stale kernel-memory read during card registration. The snd_usb_mixer_free() cleanup path frees mixer->id_elems after mixer creation fails but leaves registered controls referencing that memory, so the OSS mixer later invokes callbacks through dangling references. Reachability requires a failing USB-audio mixer setup during local device probing; published evidence does not establish code execution or data disclosure beyond the invalid access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23089
Published
Feb 4, 2026
Updated
Feb 4, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 4, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 4, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=2.6.13
  2. Affected versionversion=6639b6c2367f884ca172b78d69f7da17bfab2e5e <7bff0156d13f0ad9436e5178b979b063d59f572a
  3. Affected versionversion=6639b6c2367f884ca172b78d69f7da17bfab2e5e <930e69757b74c3ae083b0c3c7419bfe7f0edc7b2
  4. Affected versionversion=6639b6c2367f884ca172b78d69f7da17bfab2e5e <dc1a5dd80af1ee1f29d8375b12dd7625f6294dad
  5. Affected versionversion=6639b6c2367f884ca172b78d69f7da17bfab2e5e <e6f103a22b08daf5df2f4aa158081840e5910963

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=2.6.13; version=6639b6c2367f884ca172b78d69f7da17bfab2e5e <7bff0156d13f0ad9436e5178b979b063d59f572a; version=6639b6c2367f884ca172b78d69f7da17bfab2e5e <930e69757b74c3ae083b0c3c7419bfe7f0edc7b2; version=6639b6c2367f884ca172b78d69f7da17bfab2e5e <dc1a5dd80af1ee1f29d8375b12dd7625f6294dad; version=6639b6c2367f884ca172b78d69f7da17bfab2e5e <e6f103a22b08daf5df2f4aa158081840e5910963

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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