# CVE-2026-46004: ALSA: caiaq: Handle probe errors properly

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's caiaq audio driver allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges via improper error handling during device probing.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 May 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-88689, BELL-CVE-2026-46004, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-46004, GHSA-gmmg-288v-pj32, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-46004, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-46004, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-46004, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-46004, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-46004

## What is CVE-2026-46004?

CVE-2026-46004 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 May 2026. 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: caiaq: Handle probe errors properly

The probe procedure of setup_card() in caiaq driver doesn't treat the
error cases gracefully, e.g. the error from snd_card_register() calls
snd_card_free() but continues.  This would lead to a UAF for the
further calls like snd_usb_caiaq_control_init(), as Berk suggested in
another patch in the link below.

However, the problem is not only that; in general, this function drops
the all error handlings (as it's a void function) although its caller
can propagate an error to snd_probe(), which eventually calls
snd_card_free() as a proper error path.  That said, we should treat
each error case in setup_card(), and just return the error code
promptly, which is then handled later as a fatal error in snd_probe().

This patch achieves it by changing the setup_card() to return an error
code.  Also, the superfluous snd_card_free() call is removed, too.

Note that card->private_free can be set still safely at returning an
error.  All called functions in card_free() have checks of the
unassigned resources or NULL checks.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46004?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-46004?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-46004 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46004 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-2026-46004 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-46004 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 May 2026. 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-2026-46004 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-2026-46004/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46004/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46004
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46004
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-46004

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46004/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.