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CVE Record

CVE-2025-40098: ALSA: hda: cs35l41: Fix NULL pointer dereference in cs35l41_get_acpi_mute_state()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: hda: cs35l41: Fix NULL pointer dereference in cs35l41_get_acpi_mute_state() Return value of a function acpi_evaluate_dsm() is dereferenced without checking for NULL, but it is usually checked for this function. acpi_evaluate_dsm() may return NULL, when acpi_evaluate_object() returns acpi_status other than ACPI_SUCCESS, so add a check to prevent the crach. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A Linux audio driver can dereference a missing ACPI result and crash under certain firmware-error conditions. The likely business impact is device availability disruption on systems using the CS35L41 HDA audio path. The supplied evidence does not establish remote reachability, privilege escalation, data exposure, or active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted availability concern, not a confirmed emergency. Promptly assess endpoints using CS35L41 audio hardware and the listed kernels. Schedule vendor-supported updates based on operational criticality, while avoiding broad incident-response escalation unless exploitation or greater impact is independently confirmed.

Technical view

In cs35l41_get_acpi_mute_state(), the return from acpi_evaluate_dsm() was used without checking for NULL. That function may return NULL when the underlying ACPI object evaluation fails. The referenced kernel changes add the missing check, preventing the NULL pointer dereference and resulting crash.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems using the ALSA HDA CS35L41 driver and reaching the affected ACPI mute-state path. The bundle lists affected kernel versions, including 6.7, 6.12.101, 6.17.5, and 6.18, but its version formatting is ambiguous. Confirm fixes through distribution-specific kernel guidance.

Exploitation context

The bundle marks this CVE as absent from KEV and provides no evidence of exploitation in the wild. It also does not establish an attacker-controlled trigger, remote attack path, required privileges, or reliable security impact beyond a crash. Treat exploitability as unconfirmed.

Researcher notes

The evidence supports a NULL pointer dereference caused by unchecked ACPI evaluation failure. It does not provide CVSS, CWE, attack prerequisites, reachability, or proof that untrusted input controls the failure. The affected-version data contains ambiguous entries, so commit ancestry and distribution backports are more reliable than version-string comparison alone.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify systems using affected Linux kernels and the CS35L41 HDA audio driver.
  • Install a vendor-supported kernel containing the applicable referenced stable fix.
  • Check Linux distribution advisories for corrected package versions and reboot requirements.
  • Prioritize exposed business-critical endpoints where an operating-system crash would disrupt operations.

Validation and detection

  • Record each system's running kernel and distribution package version.
  • Confirm whether the cs35l41 HDA driver is present or active.
  • Verify the installed kernel includes the applicable referenced fix.
  • After updating, confirm the corrected kernel is running following any required reboot.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux447106e92a0c86c332d40710436f38f64c322cd6, 447106e92a0c86c332d40710436f38f64c322cd6, 447106e92a0c86c332d40710436f38f64c322cd6unaffected
LinuxLinux6.7, 0, 6.12.101, 6.17.5, 6.18affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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