CVE-2026-98742: ALSA: seq: Serialize compat port-info ioctls

Severity: unknown
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-10-18 · updated 2026-10-30

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: seq: Serialize compat port-info ioctls The native sequencer ioctl path serializes handler calls with client->ioctl_mutex, but the translated port-info compat path invokes the same handlers through snd_seq_kernel_client_ctl() without taking that mutex. This lets concurrent compat CREATE_PORT requests pass the port-count check before any request reaches the serialized insertion. The computed integer port index can then exceed the address field range and wrap to an existing index. Subsequent subscriber teardown can resolve the duplicate address to the wrong port and access a freed subscriber. Take ioctl_mutex while dispatching converted port-info requests, matching the native ioctl path. All translated port-info commands share this helper, so their accesses to the client port state are serialized as well.

Affected products

Linux: from 3.2.99 before 3.3; from 3.16.54 before 3.17; from 3.18.94 before 3.19; from 4.1.50 before 4.2; from 4.4.115 before 4.5; from 4.9.78 before 4.10 — fixed in 3.3, 3.17, 3.19, 4.2, 4.5, 4.10

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux 3.3, 3.17, 3.19, 4.2. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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