Menu

Star on GitHub · 3.4k

CVE-2026-98116

7.8 · HIGH

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: pcm: Serialize PCM mmap with buffer reallocation to fix page UAF snd_pcm_hw_params() and snd_pcm_hw_free() guard buffer r…

Published Sep 25, 2026linuxCWE-416EPSS 0.13%

Overview

CVE-2026-98116 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting linux linux_kernel. It was published on September 25, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

Technical description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ALSA: pcm: Serialize PCM mmap with buffer reallocation to fix page UAF

snd_pcm_hw_params() and snd_pcm_hw_free() guard buffer reallocation

with an mmap_count check performed under the PCM stream lock, but the

lock is released long before the buffer is actually freed:

snd_pcm_sync_stop(), constraint refinement and do_free_pages() all

happen in between. snd_pcm_mmap_data(), on the other hand, takes no

lock at all: it validates against the old buffer's state and

dma_bytes, remaps its pages into the VMA, and only then increments

mmap_count.

A concurrent mmap() can therefore slip in between the check and the

free. remap_pfn_range() installs writable PTEs for the old buffer's

pages without taking page references, and the subsequent

do_free_pages() returns those pages to the page allocator while the

VMA still maps them. This leaves a stale, writable mapping of freed

pages: a page-level use-after-free that can be leverag

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from linux. Update linux_kernel to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

Affected products

VendorProductVersionsStatus
linuxlinux_kernel>= 4.14.279, < 4.15Affected

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-98116?

CVE-2026-98116 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting linux linux_kernel. It was published on September 25, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-98116?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-98116?

Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from linux. Update linux_kernel to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-98116?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-98116 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

Related HIGH CVEs from 2026

View all
Watch the demo →