# CVE-2026-98266: ALSA: core: Fix potential UAF after asynchronous card release

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel ALSA core allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges via asynchronous card release.

- **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:** 6 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-106260, BELL-CVE-2026-98266, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98266, GHSA-4mg3-v7f5-c2hj, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98266

## What is CVE-2026-98266?

CVE-2026-98266 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 6 Oct 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: core: Fix potential UAF after asynchronous card release

Usually a sound driver releases the resources assigned to the card via
snd_card_free(), and it synchronizes with the whole release procedure.
However, when the card is released asynchronously via
snd_card_free_when_closed() like USB-audio driver, the situation is
slightly different; although the snd_card_disconnect() call at the
disconnection guarantees that any newer accesses will be gated, the
in-flight tasks might be still accessing to the underlying card->dev
device even after the disconnection, which would cause a
use-after-free in the end, as reported by fuzzers.

For addressing the bug above, this patch takes the refcount of
card->dev at initialization of the card object, and releases at its
destructor.   This assures the availability of the card->dev in its
whole lifecycle.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98266?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-98266?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98266 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98266 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98266 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98266 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 6 Oct 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-2026-98266 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-2026-98266/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98266/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98266
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98266
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98266

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98266/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.