In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: ac97: fix a double free in snd_ac97_controller_register() If… (CVE-2025-71192)
A double free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ALSA ac97 driver (snd_ac97_controller_register) has been resolved. The issue involved incorrect memory management when ac97_add_adapter() fails, where put_device() should be used instead of kfree(). Additional fixes include adding kfree() calls to handle cleanup properly when idr_alloc() fails and in ac97_adapter_release(). This vulnerability was found by code review and is rated high severity.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
The Linux kernel ALSA ac97 driver contained a double free vulnerability in the snd_ac97_controller_register() function. Specifically, if ac97_add_adapter() fails, the device reference should be dropped using put_device(), not kfree(). The patch corrects this by removing unnecessary kfree() calls and adding them appropriately when idr_alloc() fails and during ac97_adapter_release() cleanup. This fixes improper memory management that could lead to memory corruption or kernel instability.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation could lead to memory corruption in the kernel, potentially causing system crashes or allowing escalation of privileges due to the double free condition. The CVSS vector indicates local attack vector with high complexity and low privileges required, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a high level.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix for this vulnerability has been applied in the Linux kernel. Users and administrators should update to the latest kernel version containing this patch. Since this is a kernel-level issue, applying the official kernel update is the recommended remediation. Patch status is not explicitly confirmed in the provided data; verify with the Linux kernel vendor advisory for the exact fixed version and update accordingly.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: ac97: fix a double free in snd_ac97_controller_register() If… (CVE-2025-71192)
Description
A double free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ALSA ac97 driver (snd_ac97_controller_register) has been resolved. The issue involved incorrect memory management when ac97_add_adapter() fails, where put_device() should be used instead of kfree(). Additional fixes include adding kfree() calls to handle cleanup properly when idr_alloc() fails and in ac97_adapter_release(). This vulnerability was found by code review and is rated high severity.
CVSS v3.1
Score 7.0high
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The Linux kernel ALSA ac97 driver contained a double free vulnerability in the snd_ac97_controller_register() function. Specifically, if ac97_add_adapter() fails, the device reference should be dropped using put_device(), not kfree(). The patch corrects this by removing unnecessary kfree() calls and adding them appropriately when idr_alloc() fails and during ac97_adapter_release() cleanup. This fixes improper memory management that could lead to memory corruption or kernel instability.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation could lead to memory corruption in the kernel, potentially causing system crashes or allowing escalation of privileges due to the double free condition. The CVSS vector indicates local attack vector with high complexity and low privileges required, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a high level.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix for this vulnerability has been applied in the Linux kernel. Users and administrators should update to the latest kernel version containing this patch. Since this is a kernel-level issue, applying the official kernel update is the recommended remediation. Patch status is not explicitly confirmed in the provided data; verify with the Linux kernel vendor advisory for the exact fixed version and update accordingly.
Technical Details
- Gcve Source
- db.gcve.eu
- Osv Id
- GHSA-629p-5p7m-6c4r
- Osv Schema Version
- 1.4.0
- Aliases
- ["CVE-2025-71192"]
- Database Specific Severity
- HIGH
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
Threat ID: 6a6b72d09c2644c7f8476dc8
Added to database: 07/30/2026, 15:50:40 UTC
Last enriched: 07/30/2026, 19:22:38 UTC
Last updated: 09/10/2026, 19:38:49 UTC
Views: 7
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