CVE-2021-47281: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: seq: Fix race of snd_seq_timer_open() The timer instance per queue is exclusive, and

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: seq: Fix race of snd_seq_timer_open() The timer instance per queue is exclusive, and

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: seq: Fix race of snd_seq_timer_open() The timer instance per queue is exclusive, and snd_seq_timer_open() should have managed the concurrent accesses. It looks as if it's checking the already existing timer instance at the beginning, but it's not right, because there is no protection, hence any later concurrent call of snd_seq_timer_open() may override the timer instance easily. This may result in UAF, as the leftover timer instance can keep running while the queue itself gets closed, as spotted by syzkaller recently. For avoiding the race, add a proper check at the assignment of tmr->timeri again, and return -EBUSY if it's been already registered.

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

What it means for a small business

Linux is on the computers, phones or browsers your team uses every day. Turn on automatic updates and restart: most of these fixes only take effect after a restart.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.24%, higher than 14% of CVEs. That’s low, but low isn’t zero, and the odds jump the day someone publishes an exploit. Scored October 29, 2026, updated daily.

Check your own setup

Website check: reads what your site runs from the outside (WordPress version, plugins it can see, old server software) and matches it against this database.
Server check: what your web server says about itself, and whether that version has known flaws.

Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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