CVE-2024-46863

What it actually does

Missing empty terminator in snd_soc_acpi_link_adr array prevents proper loop termination in hda_sdw_machine_select() when testing !link->num_adr, allowing continued iteration past intended bounds due to absent links_num field in snd_soc_acpi_mach.

Why it matters to the business

Systems using affected Intel audio configurations may experience audio subsystem instability or crashes during device enumeration, increasing operational downtime risk on Linux deployments until patched; low exploitation probability reduces urgency but kernel updates remain necessary for affected versions.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local access crafts or triggers audio device enumeration that exercises the faulty loop condition, causing the kernel to read beyond the array and potentially induce a denial-of-service condition or memory corruption on vulnerable Intel platforms.

How to fix it

Upgrade Linux kernel to version 6.10.11 or apply commit 8eb57389d8ad91c67bf844f5aae4caef74b9091b; rebuild and deploy updated kernel packages across affected distributions.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm kernel version is at or above 6.10.11; inspect soc-acpi-intel-lnl-match source for presence of explicit empty snd_soc_acpi_link_adr terminator item; test audio device enumeration on Intel platforms post-update.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local execution context on target Linux system
2. Trigger audio subsystem initialization or SoundWire machine selection path
3. Supply or influence link_adr array contents lacking proper empty terminator
4. Induce loop to continue past valid entries leading to invalid memory access

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for crashes or warnings during SoundWire or HDA audio machine selection; search dmesg or journalctl for references to soc-acpi-intel-lnl-match or hda_sdw_machine_select prior to patch application.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel upgrade to 6.10.11 on all Intel audio-enabled systems within standard patch windows
• Monitor upstream stable kernel releases for backports to older LTS branches
• Review audio driver initialization logs for unexpected loop behavior or crashes as temporary detection measure