Description
The Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) library before 1.2.16.1 contains a double-free vulnerability in parse_def() in src/conf.c that allows attackers to corrupt memory by supplying maliciously crafted ALSA configuration text. When parsing nested compound or array configuration blocks, parse_def() fails to check return values before continuing, causing snd_config_delete() to be called twice on the same already-freed node, resulting in a NULL-pointer write or invalid memory read.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| alsa-project | alsa-lib | < 1.2.16.1 | 1.2.16.1 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | alsa-lib | 1.2.16.1-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | alsa-lib | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | alsa-lib | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | alsa-lib | 1.2.15.3-1ubuntu1.1 | USN-8538-1 |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | alsa-lib | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | alsa-lib | 1.2.11-1ubuntu0.3 | USN-8538-1 |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | alsa-lib | 1.2.6.1-1ubuntu1.2 | USN-8538-1 |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | alsa-lib | No fix yet | — |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | alsa-lib | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | alsa-lib | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | alsa-lib | No fix yet | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Hardened Images 1 | alsa-lib +3 | 1.2.16.1-2.hum1 | RHSA-2026:40573 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP7 | alsa | 1.2.10-150600.4.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3270-1 |
Show 7 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 16.0 | alsa | 1.2.14-160000.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:22381-1 |
| SLES 16.0 | alsa | 1.2.14-160000.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:22381-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.2 | alsa | 1.2.14-160000.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:22291-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.1 | alsa | 1.2.10-slfo.1.1_2.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:22667-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | alsa | 1.2.8-150500.3.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3492-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.4 | alsa | 1.2.6.1-150400.3.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:2885-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.3 | alsa | 1.2.6.1-150400.3.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:2885-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | alsa | 1.2.14-160000.3.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:21075-1 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2023 | alsa-lib +3 | 1.2.7.2-1.amzn2023.0.4 | ALAS2023-2026-2082 |
| Amazon Linux 2 | alsa-lib +1 | 1.1.4.1-2.amzn2.0.1 | ALAS2-2026-3874 |
Azure Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Linux 3 | alsa-lib | 1.2.16.1-1 | — |
Advisories 11
- RHSA-2026:40573 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Sep 22, 2026
- ALAS2-2026-3874 Moderate: alsa-lib security update (Amazon Linux 2) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Aug 31, 2026
- ALAS2023-2026-2082 Moderate: alsa-lib security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Aug 31, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:3492-1 Security update for alsa SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Aug 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:3270-1 Security update for alsa SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 28, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:22667-1 Security update for alsa SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 21, 2026
- USN-8538-1 alsa-lib vulnerability Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Jul 14, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:2885-1 Security update for alsa SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 14, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:22381-1 Security update for alsa SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 2, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:21075-1 Security update for alsa SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jun 30, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:22291-1 Security update for alsa SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jun 30, 2026
References
- Researcher Disclosure technical-description exploit
- alsa-lib 1.2.16.1 Release Notes release-notes
- Patch Commit patch
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/alsa-library-double-free-via-parse-def-in-conf-c third-party-advisory