CVE-2022-49291: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: pcm: Fix races among concurrent hw_params and hw_free calls Currently we h...

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: pcm: Fix races among concurrent hw_params and hw_free calls Currently we have neither proper check nor protection against the concurrent calls of PCM hw_params and hw_free ioctls, which may result in a UAF. Since the existing PCM stream lock can't be used for protecting the whole ioctl operations, we need a new mutex to protect those racy calls. This patch introduced a new mutex, runtime->buffer_mutex, and applies it to both hw_params and hw_free ioctl code paths. Along with it, the both functions are slightly modified (the mmap_count check is moved into the state-check block) for code simplicity.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.29%

20.4th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-416

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	< 4.14.279
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 4.15, < 4.19.243
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 4.20, < 5.4.193
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.5, < 5.10.109
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.11, < 5.15.32
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.16, < 5.16.18
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.17, < 5.17.1

References

Timeline

Published: Feb 26, 2025
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-49291?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: pcm: Fix races among concurrent hw_params and hw_free calls Currently we have neither proper check nor protection against the concurrent calls of PCM hw_params and hw_free ioctls, which may result in a UAF. Since the existing PCM stream lock can't be used for protecting the whole ioctl operations, we need a new mutex to protect those racy calls. This patch introduced a new mutex, runtime->buffer_mutex, and applies it to both hw_params and hw_free ioctl code paths. Along with it, the both functions are slightly modified (the mmap_count check is moved into the state-check block) for code simplicity.

How severe is CVE-2022-49291?

CVE-2022-49291 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.29% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2022-49291?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.