High [CVE-2026-53242] Fix wait queue list corruption in snd_pcm_drain on linked streams
This high-severity Red Hat Linux advisory covers CVE-2026-53242 affecting Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat package: kernel-rt.
Aggregated and source-linked by VulniPulse. Data sources, validation and limitations.
VulniPulse record published Record updated
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: PCM: Fix wait queue list corruption in snd_pcm_drain() on linked streams snd_pcm_drain() uses init_waitqueue_entry which does not clear entry.prev/next, and add_wait_queue with a conditional remove_wait_queue that is skipped when to_check is no longer in the group after concurrent UNLINK.
The orphaned wait entry remains on the unlinked substream sleep queue. On the next drain iteration, add_wait_queue adds the entry to a new queue while still linked on the old one, corrupting both lists.
A subsequent wake_up dereferences NULL at the func pointer (mapped from the spinlock at offset 0 of the misinterpreted wait_queue_head_t), causing a kernel panic.
Replace init_waitqueue_entry/add_wait_queue/conditional remove_wait_queue with init_wait_entry/prepare_to_wait/ finish_wait. init_wait_entry clears prev/next via INIT_LIST_HEAD on each iteration and sets autoremove_wake_function which auto-removes the entry on wake-up. finish_wait safely handles both the already-removed and still-queued cases.
A flaw was found in the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM) component of the Linux kernel. An attacker could exploit this issue to trigger a kernel panic, leading to a Denial of Service (DoS) on the affected system.
Is CVE-2026-53242 exploited?
No exploitation is reported in the sources VulniPulse tracks: CVE-2026-53242 is not in the CISA KEV catalog (checked ) and this advisory does not report exploitation. That is not proof the vulnerability cannot be exploited.
How do I fix CVE-2026-53242?
The advisory VulniPulse tracks names no fixed release. Follow Red Hat's guidance for workarounds and updates.
Confirm against the vendor advisory before you patch.
Affected versions
No affected-version range was extracted from the source record. The vendor advisory is authoritative. Check it before change work.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 15 days ago·verify at source
Fixed versions
No fixed release is recorded yet. That does not prove no patch exists. Confirm against the vendor advisory.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 15 days ago·verify at source
Mitigation
The source record does not include mitigation steps. That does not mean no fix exists. Read the vendor advisory below for the authoritative guidance.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 15 days ago·verify at source
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