# CVE-2023-54022: ALSA: usb-audio: Fix potential memory leaks at error path for UMP open

> A memory leak in the Linux kernel ALSA USB audio driver allows local attackers to cause denial of service via resource exhaustion.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-54022, GHSA-j4hq-f3qw-86xx, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54022

## What is CVE-2023-54022?

CVE-2023-54022 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 24 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

ALSA: usb-audio: Fix potential memory leaks at error path for UMP open

The allocation and initialization errors at alloc_midi_urbs() that is
called at MIDI 2.0 / UMP device are supposed to be handled at the
caller side by invoking free_midi_urbs().  However, free_midi_urbs()
loops only for ep->num_urbs entries, and since ep->num_entries wasn't
updated yet at the allocation / init error in alloc_midi_urbs(), this
entry won't be released.

The intention of free_midi_urbs() is to release the whole elements, so
change the loop size to NUM_URBS to scan over all elements for fixing
the missed releases.

Also, the call of free_midi_urbs() is missing at
snd_usb_midi_v2_open().  Although it'll be released later at
reopen/close or disconnection, it's better to release immediately at
the error path.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-54022?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-54022?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-54022 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54022 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-54022 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-54022 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 24 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54022 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54022/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54022/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54022
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54022
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-54022

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54022/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.