CVE-2022-48738 – This CVE is an out-of-bounds write vulnerabilit... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2022-48738?

CVE-2022-48738 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (HIGH). This CVE is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ALSA sound subsystem. It allows attackers to write values outside the valid range in the snd_soc_put_volsw() function, potentially leading to kernel memory corruption. Systems running vulnerable Linux kernel versions with ALSA sound support are affected.

📋 TL;DR

This CVE is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ALSA sound subsystem. It allows attackers to write values outside the valid range in the snd_soc_put_volsw() function, potentially leading to kernel memory corruption. Systems running vulnerable Linux kernel versions with ALSA sound support are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux Kernel

Versions: Specific vulnerable versions not explicitly stated in CVE, but patches exist for multiple stable branches

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using vulnerable kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Requires ALSA sound subsystem to be enabled and used. Embedded systems and servers with sound capabilities may be affected.

📦 What is this software?

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel memory corruption leading to privilege escalation, denial of service, or arbitrary code execution in kernel context.

🟠

Likely Case

Kernel panic or system crash causing denial of service.

🟢

If Mitigated

No impact if the vulnerability is patched or if the system doesn't use the affected ALSA sound functionality.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - This requires local access or specific sound-related interactions.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local attackers could potentially exploit this to gain elevated privileges or crash systems.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires local access and knowledge of sound subsystem interactions. No public exploits known at this time.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Multiple stable kernel versions with commits: 40f598698129b5ceaf31012f9501b775c7b6e57d, 586ef863c94354a7e00e5ae5ef01443d1dc99bc7, 65a61b1f56f5386486757930069fbdce94af08bf, 68fd718724284788fc5f379e0b7cac541429ece7, 817f7c9335ec01e0f5e8caffc4f1dcd5e458a4c0

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/40f598698129b5ceaf31012f9501b775c7b6e57d

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from your distribution's repositories. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify kernel version after reboot.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable ALSA sound subsystem

linux

Remove or disable ALSA sound modules if not needed

modprobe -r snd
echo 'blacklist snd' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable kernels
Implement strict access controls and monitor for unusual sound-related system calls

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and compare with patched versions from distribution vendor. Check if ALSA modules are loaded: lsmod | grep snd

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version after update matches patched version. Check that ALSA functionality still works properly.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic logs
ALSA subsystem error messages
System crash/reboot events

Network Indicators:

None - this is a local vulnerability

SIEM Query:

Search for kernel panic events or ALSA-related error messages in system logs

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2022-48738

CVSS v3 Score: 7.1 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

CWE: CWE-125

Published: June 20, 2024

Last Updated: September 29, 2025

🔗 References

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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