Kernel memory corruption via stale URB pointers
Published Sep 11, 2026 · Updated Sep 11, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux ALSA bcd2000 driver allows physically proximate attackers to corrupt kernel memory by unplugging an active device. The resource cleanup function frees the input and output URBs without clearing their pointers, so later send or completion paths access and can resubmit freed objects. An open raw MIDI substream and device disconnection are required; the demonstrated consequence is invalid kernel-memory access detected by KASAN.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux ALSA bcd2000 driver allows physically proximate attackers to corrupt kernel memory by unplugging an active device. The resource cleanup function frees the input and output URBs without clearing their pointers, so later send or completion paths access and can resubmit freed objects. An open raw MIDI substream and device disconnection are required; the demonstrated consequence is invalid kernel-memory access detected by KASAN.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-80971
- Published
- Sep 11, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- physical
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 11, 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.
- Affected versionversion=3.16
- Affected versionversion=b47a22290d581277be70e8a597824a4985d39e83 <459d3a64766f5ca2f1886daeaf24582831a5f5ab
- Affected versionversion=b47a22290d581277be70e8a597824a4985d39e83 <7df3194bdb7479cad9199889655a566a2c0c1d1b
- Affected versionversion=b47a22290d581277be70e8a597824a4985d39e83 <b06ebc7fe25a6af4a9f6e4a3d4236a4178ad4b01
- Affected versionversion=b47a22290d581277be70e8a597824a4985d39e83 <eb482a06791d6168beb8c78cc904ac5a5ed96a55
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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