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CVE-2023-0266

Use after free in SNDRV_CTL_IOCTL_ELEM in Linux Kernel

HIGH
7
CVSS Score
Published: January 30, 2023 at 01:09 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 05:25 AM UTC
2 products affected across 2 vendorsLinux KernelDebian Linux

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Severity
HIGH7
Exploitation
CISA KEV
Exploit prediction
EPSS 4%
SSVC
Active

Actively Exploited

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog

EPSS Score3.7%

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) estimates a 3.7% chance this CVE is exploited in the wild within the next 30 days — higher than 90% of all CVEs. It complements CVSS: a high EPSS on a mid-severity CVE can still be urgent.

Linux kernel contains a use-after-free vulnerability that allows for privilege escalation to gain ring0 access from the system user.

Required Action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Ransomware Use
Unknown
Added to KEV
Mar 30, 2023
Remediation Due
Apr 20, 2023
1287 days overdue
Notes
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/stable-queue.git/tree/queue-5.10/alsa-pcm-move-rwsem-lock-inside-snd_ctl_elem_read-to-prevent-uaf.patch?id=72783cf35e6c55bca84c4bb7b776c58152856fd4
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-0266

Description

A use after free vulnerability exists in the ALSA PCM package in the Linux Kernel. SNDRV_CTL_IOCTL_ELEM_{READ|WRITE}32 is missing locks that can be used in a use-after-free that can result in a priviledge escalation to gain ring0 access from the system user. We recommend upgrading past commit 56b88b50565cd8b946a2d00b0c83927b7ebb055e

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Debian Linux· Debiandrupal
95%
10.0
Linux Kernel· Linux
95%
4.14 ≤ v < 4.14.3034.15 ≤ v < 4.19.2704.20 ≤ v < 5.4.2295.11 ≤ v < 5.15.885.16 ≤ v < 6.1.65.5 ≤ v < 5.10.1634.14
Affected range stops below 4.14.303, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 4.19.270, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 5.10.163, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 5.15.88, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 5.4.229, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 6.1.6, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

References (5)

Mailing ListPatchVendor Advisory
Source: [email protected]
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/stable-queue.git/tree/queue-5.10/alsa-pcm-move-rwsem-lock-inside-snd_ctl_elem_read-to-prevent-uaf.patch?id=72783cf35e6c55bca84c4bb7b776c58152856fd4
Patch
Source: [email protected]
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/56b88b50565cd8b946a2d00b0c83927b7ebb055e
Patch
Source: [email protected]
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/becf9e5d553c2389d857a3c178ce80fdb34a02e1
Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00006.html
US Government Resource
Source: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-0266

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCActiveNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

7HIGH[email protected]
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
HIGH
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-416

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