CVE-2025-38078: ALSA: pcm: Fix race of buffer access at PCM OSS layer
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ALSA: pcm: Fix race of buffer access at PCM OSS layer
The PCM OSS layer tries to clear the buffer with the silence data at initialization (or reconfiguration) of a stream with the explicit call of sndpcmformatsetsilence() with runtime->dmaarea. But this may lead to a UAF because the accessed runtime->dmaarea might be freed concurrently, as it's performed outside the PCM ops.
For avoiding it, move the code into the PCM core and perform it inside the buffer access lock, so that it won't be changed during the operation.
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2025-38078?
CVE-2025-38078 has a severity rating that indicates a moderate impact on system stability due to a race condition in the ALSA PCM OSS layer.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38078?
To fix CVE-2025-38078, update the Linux kernel to a version that includes the patch addressing this vulnerability.
Which systems are affected by CVE-2025-38078?
CVE-2025-38078 affects multiple versions of the Linux kernel, particularly those between versions 5.4 and 6.15.
Is CVE-2025-38078 exploitable remotely?
CVE-2025-38078 is not considered remotely exploitable as it requires local access to the system.
What are the potential consequences of CVE-2025-38078?
Exploitation of CVE-2025-38078 could lead to undefined behavior or system instability during audio buffer operations.