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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-74503

🗓️ 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 3 Views

Use-after-free in Linux kernel ALSA timer subsystem, exploitable by unprivileged /dev/snd/timer users to crash the host.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
attackerkb
ATTACKERKB
CVE-2026-74503
15 Aug 202612:27
attackerkb
cve
CVE
CVE-2026-74503
15 Aug 202612:27
cve
cvelist
Cvelist
CVE-2026-74503 ALSA: timer: Clear SNDRV_TIMER_IFLG_DEAD once the close completes
15 Aug 202612:27
cvelist
debiancve
Debian CVE
CVE-2026-74503
15 Aug 202612:27
debiancve
euvd
EUVD
EUVD-2026-59696
15 Aug 202612:27
euvd
nvd
NVD
CVE-2026-74503
15 Aug 202613:17
nvd
osv
OSV
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-74503
15 Aug 202613:17
osv
ptsecurity
Positive Technologies
PT-2026-72955
15 Aug 202600:00
ptsecurity
susecve
SUSE CVE
SUSE CVE-2026-74503
15 Aug 202623:51
susecve
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(335762);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/08/15");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2026-74503");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-74503");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - ALSA: timer: Clear SNDRV_TIMER_IFLG_DEAD once the close completes snd_timer_close_locked() marks an
    instance with SNDRV_TIMER_IFLG_DEAD and returns early when the flag is already set, but the flag is never
    cleared again. A completed close ends in remove_slave_links(), which leaves timeri->timer NULL, so a
    second close is already harmless through the timer == NULL path; the early return can only be reached by
    an instance that was opened again in between. For such an instance the close unlinks nothing, so
    snd_timer_instance_free() frees an object that is still on timer->open_list_head, still on
    snd_timer_master_list if it was opened with a slave key, still owns any adopted slaves, and still holds
    its timer and module references. snd_seq_timer_open() reopens an instance exactly like that: it retries
    its fallback open on the same object after a failure that has already run snd_timer_close_locked()
    internally. An unprivileged user with access to /dev/snd/timer and /dev/snd/seq can force that failure,
    since snd_timer_check_master() returns -EBUSY when a pending slave matches the new master's (slave_class,
    slave_id) key and the target timer has reached max_instances, and SNDRV_TIMER_IOCTL_SELECT with dev_class
    = SNDRV_TIMER_CLASS_SLAVE keeps the caller-supplied dev_sclass, so a sequencer queue's key can be forged.
    The freed instance is afterwards dereferenced by any further snd_timer_open() on that timer, by
    snd_timer_check_slave(), and by /proc/asound/timers, which faults on the stale ti->owner pointer. The flag
    only has to be visible while the close is in progress, which is all its other users need. Clear it in
    remove_slave_links(), under the same timer->lock that sets it, once the instance is off every list.
    (CVE-2026-74503)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-74503");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2026-74503");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2026/08/15");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/08/15");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:13.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:14.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:linux");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Debian Linux-13", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-14");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Debian Linux-14": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "14",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bpftool"},
          {"reference": "hyperv-daemons"},
          {"reference": "intel-sdsi"},
          {"reference": "libcpupower-dev"},
          {"reference": "libcpupower1"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-alpha-generic"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-alpha-smp"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-amd64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-arm64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-arm64-16k"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-armmp"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-armmp-lpae"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-cloud-amd64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-cloud-arm64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-loong64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-m68k"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-parisc"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-parisc64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-powerpc"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-powerpc-smp"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-powerpc64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-powerpc64-64k"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-powerpc64le"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-powerpc64le-64k"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-riscv64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-rt-amd64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-rt-arm64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-s390x"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-sh7751r"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-sparc64"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-sparc64-smp"},
          {"reference": "linux-base-7.1.7+deb14-test"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-13": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "13",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bpftool"},
          {"reference": "hyperv-daemons"},
          {"reference": "intel-sdsi"},
          {"reference": "libcpupower-dev"},
          {"reference": "libcpupower1"},
          {"reference": "linux-bpf-dev"},
          {"reference": "linux-config-6.12"},
          {"reference": "linux-cpupower"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc-6.12"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-4kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-5kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-4kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-5kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-alpha-generic"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-alpha-smp"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-amd64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-arm64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-arm64-16k"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-armmp"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-armmp-lpae"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-cloud-amd64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-cloud-arm64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-common"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-common-rt"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-loong64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-loongson-3"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-m68k"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-mips32r2eb"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-mips32r2el"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-mips64r2eb"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-mips64r2el"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');

var third_party_support = get_kb_item('Host/OS/extended-third-party');
if (!empty_or_null(third_party_support)) {
    var third_party_vendors = distro_constraints_values['third_party'];
    if (!empty_or_null(third_party_vendors)) {
        var vendor;
        foreach vendor (third_party_vendors) {
            if (vendor == third_party_support) exit(0, 'A third party management patch is available for this vulnerability from ' + vendor + '.\n');
        }
    }
}

var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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15 Aug 2026 00:00Current
5.5Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.5
3