CVE-2024-50160

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's ALSA sound driver, specifically in the hda/cs8409 component. A local attacker with low privileges could exploit this vulnerability. When the snd_hda_gen_add_kctl function fails to allocate memory and returns a null pointer, a subsequent operation attempts to dereference this null pointer. This can lead to a system crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS).

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

To prevent the snd_hda_codec_cs8409 kernel module from loading, create a modprobe configuration file.

1. Create /etc/modprobe.d/disable-cs8409.conf with the line: blacklist snd_hda_codec_cs8409.
2. Regenerate the initramfs: dracut -f -v (for RHEL 8/9) or mkinitrd -f -v /boot/initramfs-$(uname -r).img $(uname -r) (for RHEL 7).
3. Reboot the system for the changes to take effect. This action may disable audio functionality provided by the CS8409 codec. A system reboot is required for the changes to be applied.