UBUNTU-CVE-2026-74499: Medium severity ubuntu/linux vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: usb-audio: fix OOB write in sndusbmidiakaioutput() sndusbmidiakaioutput() computes its fill-loop bound bufend = ep->maxtransfer - MAXAKAISYSEXLEN - 1; as a signed int, so a small device-advertised bulk-OUT maxtransfer makes bufend negative. The loop guard then compares the u32 urb->transferbufferlength against that negative int: the usual arithmetic conversion turns bufend into a large unsigned value, so the guard stays true and each iteration keeps appending SysEx framing and payload bytes past the end of the URB transfer buffer, which is only maxtransfer bytes long. A USB device that advertises a tiny bulk-OUT endpoint can therefore trigger an attacker-length- and content-controlled heap out-of-bounds write when a process writes to the created /dev/snd/midiCD node. Return early when there is no room for even one SysEx, so the loop is never entered with a bound that would wrap. The loop is the last statement of the function, so bailing out is equivalent to it not running. Discovered by XBOW, triaged by Baul Lee <baul.lee@xbow.com>
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-aws-5.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1117.124~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-5.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1123.132~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-5.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1122.131~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1118.128~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-198.208~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-ibm-5.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1111.115~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-intel-iotg-5.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1112.118~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-195.205~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1114.120~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1111.115~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linuxto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-198.208 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-awsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1117.124 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azureto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1123.132 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-fdeto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1122.131 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcpto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1118.128 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gketo a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1113.119 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gkeopto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1100.108 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-ibmto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1111.115 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-intel-iotgto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1112.118 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-kvmto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1109.114 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-lowlatencyto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-195.205 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-nvidiato a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1112.113 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oracleto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1114.120 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-xilinx-zynqmpto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1080.84 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-bluefieldto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1101.103 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-intel-iot-realtimeto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1109.111 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-realtimeto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1116.125 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-aws-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1117.124+fips1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1123.132+fips1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-198.208+fips1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcp-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.15.0-1118.128+fips1
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is exposed to this issue?
Systems running an affected Ubuntu kernel package are exposed when they interact with a malicious USB device that advertises a tiny bulk-OUT endpoint and creates a MIDI device node. The listed packages include linux, linux-fips, linux-aws, linux-azure, linux-gcp, and their listed FIPS variants.
What does an attacker need to trigger the out-of-bounds write?
An attacker needs a crafted USB device and a process that writes to the MIDI device node created for it, such as /dev/snd/midiC*D*. The write content and length influence the resulting heap out-of-bounds write.
Are systems affected merely by having the kernel installed?
The vulnerable code path requires interaction with a USB device presenting the relevant MIDI interface and a write to its created MIDI node. The provided information does not establish that this occurs in a default configuration without such a device and write activity.
What can be done if an updated kernel cannot be installed immediately?
Avoid connecting or using untrusted USB MIDI devices, particularly devices that may advertise malformed or unusually small bulk-OUT transfer sizes. Prevent writes to MIDI device nodes associated with untrusted USB devices.