ALSA: oss: Fix PCM OSS buffer allocation overflow

Kernel Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

24/04/2022

Disclosed on

N/A

Severity

No i

Fix available

Unrated

Severity

Not published

CVSS Score

GSD-2022-1001635: ALSA: oss: Fix PCM OSS buffer allocation overflow. Affects Kernel versions < fb08bf99195a87c798bc8ae1357337a981faeade. No fix is published. How to fix ↓

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Background

The ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) is a software framework and part of the Linux kernel that provides an API for sound card device drivers. It enables audio and MIDI functionality on Linux-based systems. The PCM OSS (Open Sound System) is a compatibility layer within ALSA that allows applications using the legacy OSS API to work with ALSA. PCM OSS provides a bridge between the OSS API and the underlying ALSA PCM subsystem.

Vulnerability Detail

The vulnerability identified in the ALSA PCM OSS buffer allocation can lead to an overflow. This vulnerability can potentially be exploited by an attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service. The buffer allocation overflow occurs when the size of the requested buffer exceeds the maximum allowed size, resulting in a memory corruption issue. This vulnerability has been assigned the ID GSD-2022-1001635 and has been fixed in Linux Kernel version v5.16.18 by commit fb08bf99195a87c798bc8ae1357337a981faeade.

How To Fix

No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.

To fix this vulnerability, it is recommended to update the Linux Kernel to version v5.16.18 or later. This can be done by downloading the updated kernel source code from the official Linux Kernel repository (https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/) and compiling it according to the provided instructions. Alternatively, users can wait for their Linux distribution to release an updated package containing the fixed kernel version.

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Workaround

There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to update the Linux Kernel to the fixed version as soon as possible.

Conclusion

The ALSA PCM OSS buffer allocation overflow vulnerability can have severe security implications, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service. It is crucial to update the Linux Kernel to the fixed version to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.

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