CVE-2026-97931: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: us122l: Prevent write upgrades for read mappings The hwdep mmap callback rejects rea

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: us122l: Prevent write upgrades for read mappings The hwdep mmap callback rejects rea

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: us122l: Prevent write upgrades for read mappings The hwdep mmap callback rejects read-buffer mappings that are initially writable, but leaves VM_MAYWRITE set on mappings created with PROT_READ. A process that can open the hwdep node O_RDWR can later use mprotect() to make the mapping writable. The read allocation begins with struct usb_stream. Its read_size member is used by the fault handler to decide which pages belong to the read buffer. The read VMA intentionally remains expandable because pcm_usb_stream uses mremap() after reading that size. Changing read_size first can therefore map and access pages beyond the allocation. The same member is also consumed by usb_stream_free(), where changing it can make free_pages_exact() release pages outside the allocation. Clear VM_MAYWRITE for read-buffer mappings after rejecting an initially writable VMA. This keeps the separate output-buffer mapping writable while preventing later permission upgrades.

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 0.14%, higher than 3% 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.

Weekly security brief

The flaws that hit local websites, every Friday.

One short email: what got exploited this week, which WordPress plugins broke, and what to check. Unsubscribe in one click.