CVE-2026-46088

Kernel panic via exhausted ALSA names buffer

Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026

Denial of service in the Linux kernel ALSA control subsystem allows local users to trigger a kernel panic through malformed enum names. snd_ctl_elem_init_enum_names() advances through the names buffer after buf_len reaches zero, causing fortified strnlen() to check an exhausted buffer before the normal error path runs. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access, CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE, and loss of pointer-size tracking by Clang; the reported consequence is a system crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in the Linux kernel ALSA control subsystem allows local users to trigger a kernel panic through malformed enum names. snd_ctl_elem_init_enum_names() advances through the names buffer after buf_len reaches zero, causing fortified strnlen() to check an exhausted buffer before the normal error path runs. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access, CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE, and loss of pointer-size tracking by Clang; the reported consequence is a system crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-46088
Published
May 27, 2026
Updated
May 27, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 27, 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=3.2
  2. Affected versionversion=8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4 <1fbe46d2b72754d8bd580e13e59ccb5d3d0e8cb0
  3. Affected versionversion=8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4 <654c818a69c21d2bea4e8fd9eae7da865df9a5c8
  4. Affected versionversion=8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4 <82012fd3e78a14360fbc2f1a7491589896704f97
  5. Affected versionversion=8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4 <8ba0214c3dd32b8ec652947e3f2bc5b8f6e6be9e
  6. Affected versionversion=8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4 <e0da8a8cac74f4b9f577979d131f0d2b88a84487

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=3.2; version=8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4 <1fbe46d2b72754d8bd580e13e59ccb5d3d0e8cb0; version=8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4 <654c818a69c21d2bea4e8fd9eae7da865df9a5c8; version=8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4 <82012fd3e78a14360fbc2f1a7491589896704f97; version=8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4 <8ba0214c3dd32b8ec652947e3f2bc5b8f6e6be9e; version=8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4 <e0da8a8cac74f4b9f577979d131f0d2b88a84487

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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