CVE-2025-39997: Linux kernel · ALSA: usb-audio: fix race condition to UAF in snd_usbmidi_free
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · fixed in 6.17.0-6.6 : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC
Rated by Threat Radar · No CVSS score from NVD or the CNA
- EPSS
- 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 11% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 6.17.0-6.6, 6.17.0-1003.3, 6.17.0-1006.6 +3
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 15 Oct 2025
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 to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 25.10linuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 25.10linux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-oraclepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-oracle?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.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: usb-audio: fix race condition to UAF in snd_usbmidi_free The previous commit 0718a78f6a9f ("ALSA: usb-audio: Kill timer properly at removal") patched a UAF issue caused by the error timer. However, because the error timer kill added in this patch occurs after the endpoint delete, a race condition to UAF still occurs, albeit rarely. Additionally, since kill-cleanup for urb is also missing, freed memory can be accessed in interrupt context related to urb, which can cause UAF. Therefore, to prevent this, error timer and urb must be killed before freeing the heap memory.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-39997 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-39997 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/9f2c0ac1423d5f267e7f1d1940780fc764b0fee3 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/353d8c715cc951a980728133c9dd64ca5a0a186c (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/647d6b8d22be12842fde6ed0c56859ebc615f21e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9f2c0ac1423d5f267e7f1d1940780fc764b0fee3 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/af600e7f5526d16146b3ae99f6ad57bfea79ca33 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc4874366cf6cf4a31d8fa4b7f0e2a5b2d7647ba (opens in a new tab)