# CVE-2026-46088: ALSA: control: Validate buf_len before strnlen() in snd_ctl_elem_init_enum_names()

> A missing buffer length check in the Linux kernel ALSA control interface can cause a kernel panic via fortified string functions, leading to denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-88728, BELL-CVE-2026-46088, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-46088, GHSA-r965-2mvq-7ghh, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-46088, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-46088, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-46088, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-46088, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-46088

## What is CVE-2026-46088?

CVE-2026-46088 is a medium-severity 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: control: Validate buf_len before strnlen() in snd_ctl_elem_init_enum_names()

snd_ctl_elem_init_enum_names() advances pointer p through the names
buffer while decrementing buf_len. If buf_len reaches zero but items
remain, the next iteration calls strnlen(p, 0).

While strnlen(p, 0) returns 0 and would hit the existing name_len == 0
error path, CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE's fortified strnlen() first checks
maxlen against __builtin_dynamic_object_size(). When Clang loses track
of p's object size inside the loop, this triggers a BRK exception panic
before the return value is examined.

Add a buf_len == 0 guard at the loop entry to prevent calling fortified
strnlen() on an exhausted buffer.

Found by kernel fuzz testing through Xiaomi Smartphone.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46088?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-46088?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-46088 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46088 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-2026-46088 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-46088 is a medium-severity 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-2026-46088 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-2026-46088/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46088/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46088
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46088
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-46088

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46088/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.