Linux Kernel Vulnerability in ALSA Control Affecting Multiple Versions

CVE-2026-46088

What is CVE-2026-46088?

A vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel's ALSA control that may result from inadequate validation of buffer lengths in the snd_ctl_elem_init_enum_names() function. During operation, if the buffer length (buf_len) reaches zero while still containing items, the function may proceed to call strnlen() with an exhausted buffer, leading to potential memory access violations. A BRK exception panic can occur if this situation arises during parsing, primarily noted in kernel fuzz testing conducted via Xiaomi Smartphone. The implementation now includes a safeguard to check buf_len at the entry of the loop to prevent such errors from arising.

References