# CVE-2026-43459: ASoC: soc-core: flush delayed work before removing DAIs and widgets

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel ASoC subsystem allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges when unbinding a sound card.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 8 May 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-43459, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-43459, GHSA-6hfg-rmc6-8cvm, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-43459, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-43459, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-43459, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43459

## What is CVE-2026-43459?

CVE-2026-43459 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 8 May 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

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

ASoC: soc-core: flush delayed work before removing DAIs and widgets

When a sound card is unbound while a PCM stream is open, a
use-after-free can occur in snd_soc_dapm_stream_event(), called from
the close_delayed_work workqueue handler.

During unbind, snd_soc_unbind_card() flushes delayed work and then
calls soc_cleanup_card_resources(). Inside cleanup,
snd_card_disconnect_sync() releases all PCM file descriptors, and
the resulting PCM close path can call snd_soc_dapm_stream_stop()
which schedules new delayed work with a pmdown_time timer delay.
Since this happens after the flush in snd_soc_unbind_card(), the
new work is not caught. soc_remove_link_components() then frees
DAPM widgets before this work fires, leading to the use-after-free.

The existing flush in soc_free_pcm_runtime() also cannot help as it
runs after soc_remove_link_components() has already freed the widgets.

Add a flush in soc_cleanup_card_resources() after
snd_card_disconnect_sync() (after which no new PCM closes can
schedule further delayed work) and before soc_remove_link_dais()
and soc_remove_link_components() (which tear down the structures the
delayed work accesses).

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-43459?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-43459?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-43459 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-43459 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-43459 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-43459 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 8 May 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-43459 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. 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-2026-43459/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43459/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43459
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43459
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-43459

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43459/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.