CVE-2026-98086
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) subsystem. When configuring Universal MIDI Packet (UMP) devices, the driver prematurely treats endpoint structures as fully initialized before legacy MIDI data structures are attached. A local user or connected device sending packets during this window can trigger a null pointer dereference, causing a kernel crash and resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).
Statement
This vulnerability is rated as Moderate severity because exploitation requires local access or an attached Universal MIDI Packet (UMP) device, and the resulting impact is limited to a system crash (denial of service) without compromising confidentiality or integrity. On standard Red Hat Enterprise Linux server installations, sound hardware and MIDI devices are typically not present, substantially reducing exposure. The flaw only poses a risk on systems actively utilizing UMP-capable audio peripherals or virtualized sound hardware accessible to local users.
Mitigation
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options don't meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.5 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | N/A |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | None | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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