Linux · Linux Kernel · CVE-2026-46048
**Name of the Vulnerable Software and Affected Versions**
Linux kernel versions prior to 7.0.11-1.1
**Description**
A reference count leak occurs in the ALSA caiaq component of the Linux kernel during probe failure. The `create card()` function increases the reference count of the USB device using `usb get dev()`, but the corresponding `usb put dev()` is only executed via the `card free()` destructor. Because the `->private free` destructor is assigned late in the `init card()` process, any failure occurring before this assignment—such as errors in `usb set interface()`, endpoint type checks, `usb submit urb()`, or the `EP1 CMD GET DEVICE INFO` exchange—prevents `card free()` from running. This results in a leak of the `struct usb device`, its descriptor allocations, and `device private` data.
**Recommendations**
Update to version 7.0.11-1.1 or newer.