VulnerabilityPublished 27 May 2026Updated 6 Nov 2026

CVE-2026-46088: Linux kernel · ALSA: control: Validate buf_len before strnlen() in snd_ctl_elem_init_enum_names()

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

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Not known to be exploited · fixed in e0da8a8cac74f4b9f577979d131f0d2b88a84487 : update Linux kernel when convenient.

Data as of 6 Nov 2026, 16:34 UTC

Severity

Unrated

Rated by Threat Radar · No CVSS score from NVD or the CNA

Thin evidence

One scorer or none

Exploitation: No evidence of active exploitation and no public proof of concept
Automatable: Attackers cannot reliably automate steps 1–4 of the kill chain
Technical impact: Limited control over the software or limited information exposure

CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-11-06.

Patch

Available – fixed in e0da8a8cac74f4b9f577979d131f0d2b88a84487, bfcbb4994da9e979c4bcfcf24aaaac69e457e48e, a470f7cabc4df72d9bd132f5719a8717292bb440 +5

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 27 May 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: 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 6 Nov 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponized: A Metasploit exploit module or Exploit-DB entry exists (Metasploit scanner modules do not count), or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4, < e0da8a8cac74f4b9f577979d131f0d2b88a84487	Fixed in e0da8a8cac74f4b9f577979d131f0d2b88a84487
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4, < bfcbb4994da9e979c4bcfcf24aaaac69e457e48e	Fixed in bfcbb4994da9e979c4bcfcf24aaaac69e457e48e
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4, < a470f7cabc4df72d9bd132f5719a8717292bb440	Fixed in a470f7cabc4df72d9bd132f5719a8717292bb440
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4, < 82012fd3e78a14360fbc2f1a7491589896704f97	Fixed in 82012fd3e78a14360fbc2f1a7491589896704f97
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4, < 708f6ec9bcdf58bfd561409110baaf4fd3be4ea3	Fixed in 708f6ec9bcdf58bfd561409110baaf4fd3be4ea3
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 8d448162bda5ae3b5ecb26fe50c8fbbeae99faa4, < 654c818a69c21d2bea4e8fd9eae7da865df9a5c8	Fixed in 654c818a69c21d2bea4e8fd9eae7da865df9a5c8

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: control: Validate buf_len before strnlen() in snd_ctl_elem_init_enum_names() snd_ctl_elem_init_enum_names() advances pointer p through the names buffer while decrementing buf_len. If buf_len reaches zero but items remain, the next iteration calls strnlen(p, 0). While strnlen(p, 0) returns 0 and would hit the existing name_len == 0 error path, CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE's fortified strnlen() first checks maxlen against __builtin_dynamic_object_size(). When Clang loses track of p's object size inside the loop, this triggers a BRK exception panic before the return value is examined. Add a buf_len == 0 guard at the loop entry to prevent calling fortified strnlen() on an exhausted buffer. Found by kernel fuzz testing through Xiaomi Smartphone.

References

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