CVE-2026-31778: Linux kernel · ALSA: caiaq: fix stack out-of-bounds read in init_card
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.1 High : upgrade to 7.0.0-1006.6 soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 2% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 7.0.0-1006.6
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 1 May 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade the Ubuntu linux-nvidia package to 7.0.0-1006.6.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde@7.0.0-1008.8?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-nvidiapkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-nvidia@7.0.0-1006.6?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 25.10linuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux@6.17.0-40.40?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 25.10linux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws@6.17.0-1019.19?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure@6.17.0-1020.20?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde@6.17.0-1017.17?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
A patch is available that fixes the off-by-one error by adjusting the loop boundary to leave space for the null terminator in the card shortname buffer. Users and administrators should apply the official Linux kernel updates that include this fix. The Ubuntu advisory USN-8567-1 confirms that this and other Linux kernel vulnerabilities have been addressed. No additional mitigation steps are required beyond applying the vendor-provided patches.
Description
A stack out-of-bounds read vulnerability was fixed in the ALSA caiaq driver in the Linux kernel. The issue occurs due to an off-by-one error in a loop that copies a card shortname into a fixed-size buffer without properly reserving space for the null terminator. This can cause reading beyond the stack buffer when processing certain USB device product names with many non-ASCII, non-space characters. The flaw has existed since June 2009 (Linux kernel v2.6.31-rc1) and was corrected by adjusting the loop boundary to leave room for the null terminator.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-31778 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-31778 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/45424e871abf2a152e247a9cff78359f18dd95c0 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8567-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8574-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8575-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8576-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8574-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8595-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8596-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8575-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8576-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8597-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8595-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8606-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8607-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8608-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8609-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8575-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8610-1 (opens in a new tab)