---
title: "CVE-2026-97931: Linux Kernel ALSA us122l - Privilege Escalation"
description: "Linux kernel ALSA us122l contains a privilege escalation vulnerability caused by improper handling of VM_MAYWRITE flag in hwdep mmap callback, letting local attackers with O_RDWR access escalate privileges by making read mappings writable, exploit requires local access with O_RDWR permissions."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-97931/
---

# CVE-2026-97931 Linux Kernel ALSA us122l - Privilege Escalation

Linux kernel ALSA us122l contains a privilege escalation vulnerability caused by improper handling of VM\_MAYWRITE flag in hwdep mmap callback, letting local attackers with O\_RDWR access escalate privileges by making read mappings writable, exploit requires local access with O\_RDWR permissions.

CVSS base score 7.0 /10

High

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Required

EPSS

0.14% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97931)

## Details

Type

Privilege Escalation

Impact

Privilege Escalation

CVSS vector

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

Published

25 September 2026

Updated

15 October 2026

## Vendor fix

Update to the latest Linux kernel version containing the fix.

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-2026-97931](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97931)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/becb89036a1320ef0a77da2d27935ac0704345c4](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/becb89036a1320ef0a77da2d27935ac0704345c4)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cbc1f954ce67d739d41d1f0757d29850353ebb6a](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cbc1f954ce67d739d41d1f0757d29850353ebb6a)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0eb9dd4774af0ac4d1fd105ef2b0a1f6cec06f2f](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0eb9dd4774af0ac4d1fd105ef2b0a1f6cec06f2f)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/64a87950239867682cde128020e1a47088295e5c](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/64a87950239867682cde128020e1a47088295e5c)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/71c610aeb1770302ac9c9e0b9a4ecd37f1311928](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/71c610aeb1770302ac9c9e0b9a4ecd37f1311928)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d9c537b14f4982f17b103e3a2cfeee4bee6bc026](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d9c537b14f4982f17b103e3a2cfeee4bee6bc026)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6a5f5a5a32c78e67701f1d0f26bc87af68895604](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6a5f5a5a32c78e67701f1d0f26bc87af68895604)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/938e8d6cee8d36f24669dfdcd3717e081eb32d64](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/938e8d6cee8d36f24669dfdcd3717e081eb32d64)

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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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