---
title: "CVE-2026-89979: Linux ALSA PCM - Race Condition"
description: "Linux kernel ALSA PCM contains a race condition caused by concurrent non-atomic and atomic PCM operations, letting attackers cause inconsistent PCM state and potential system instability, exploit requires concurrent PCM operations."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-89979/
---

# CVE-2026-89979 Linux ALSA PCM - Race Condition

Linux kernel ALSA PCM contains a race condition caused by concurrent non-atomic and atomic PCM operations, letting attackers cause inconsistent PCM state and potential system instability, exploit requires concurrent PCM operations.

CVSS base score 7.8 /10

High

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Required

EPSS

0.16% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89979)

## Details

Type

Race Condition

Impact

Denial Of Service

CVSS vector

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

Published

16 September 2026

Updated

15 October 2026

## Vendor fix

Update to the latest Linux kernel version containing the fix for ALSA PCM race condition.

Patching closes this CVE. It does not tell you which of your systems run the affected version, or what else is exposed alongside them.

## References

- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89979](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89979)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b2edc017f94c08bdd0b046a586e43ac771a2f942](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b2edc017f94c08bdd0b046a586e43ac771a2f942)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b599e7f16441386754ec083fa62a549bccb02fca](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b599e7f16441386754ec083fa62a549bccb02fca)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/50afadf1ea66597116eb14e73c24da7ae99b759f](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/50afadf1ea66597116eb14e73c24da7ae99b759f)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5abeb4f9f2023f001d693b4e5e1ebbf25e25d0eb](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5abeb4f9f2023f001d693b4e5e1ebbf25e25d0eb)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7ad2ea7c10044b08ecf7b04376916faf12e17a99](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7ad2ea7c10044b08ecf7b04376916faf12e17a99)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/acac7b5e07349a9d10d78873afb4b93cd1dc721f](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/acac7b5e07349a9d10d78873afb4b93cd1dc721f)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ad29779736cfd6f5595f0cab300dd7611418e363](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ad29779736cfd6f5595f0cab300dd7611418e363)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b1d12144557fceed5de6e22e2c2e30a40ed37702](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b1d12144557fceed5de6e22e2c2e30a40ed37702)

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## What this record can't tell you

- Whether you run the affected software, and where
- Whether an attacker can actually reach and exploit it
- The misconfigurations that never get a CVE number
- What it would cost the business, ranked into what to fix first

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