Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2023-0266 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel. Its CVSS base score is 7.9 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique OS Credential Dumping (T1003); ranked in the top 11% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
A use-after-free vulnerability exists in the ALSA PCM subsystem of the Linux kernel, specifically in the handling of SNDRV_CTL_IOCTL_ELEM_READ32 and SNDRV_CTL_IOCTL_ELEM_WRITE32 ioctls. The flaw stems from missing locks that allow a freed object to be accessed, and it is tracked as CWE-416. The affected component is the kernel's sound control logic, with the recommended fix being to apply changes past commit 56b88b50565cd8b946a2d00b0c83927b7ebb055e.
A local user with low privileges can exploit the race condition to achieve privilege escalation, obtaining ring-0 kernel access. The CVSS vector reflects an adjacent-network attack path with high attack complexity, limited confidentiality impact, and high integrity and availability impact that crosses a security boundary.
Upstream patches relocate the rwsem lock inside snd_ctl_elem_read to close the window, and distributions such as Debian have issued corresponding updates in their LTS kernels. The current EPSS score remains low at 0.0018 with no indicated upward trajectory.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-12345
Vulnerability Data
A use after free vulnerability exists in the ALSA PCM package in the Linux Kernel. SNDRV_CTL_IOCTL_ELEM_{READ|WRITE}32 is missing locks that can be used in a use-after-free that can result in a priviledge escalation to gain ring0 access from the system…
more
user. We recommend upgrading past commit 56b88b50565cd8b946a2d00b0c83927b7ebb055e
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 30 March 2023
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
—
—
- 3 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
V1.4.3
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Use-after-free exploits that achieve arbitrary code execution are blocked or significantly hardened by non-executable pages and ASLR.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Vulnerability identification processes can discover use-after-free issues via scanning or analysis but do not prevent their introduction.
Routine patching removes known use-after-free instances after they have been introduced in released software.
Secure SDLC practices directly incorporate memory-safety tooling and reviews that prevent most use-after-free defects.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (higher-evidence rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
- V-248592 OL 8 must clear memory when it is freed to prevent use-after-free attacks. blocks CWE-416
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
- V-230279 RHEL 8 must clear memory when it is freed to prevent use-after-free attacks. blocks CWE-416
RHEL 9 (1 rule)
- V-257794 RHEL 9 must clear memory when it is freed to prevent use-after-free attacks. blocks CWE-416