---
title: "CVE-2014-9904\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2014-9904?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2014-9904

Publication date 27 June 2016

Last updated 4 July 2026

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**7.8 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2014-9904?format=md#impact-score)

Toggle side navigation

## Description

The snd\_compress\_check\_input function in sound/core/compress\_offload.c in
the ALSA subsystem in the Linux kernel before 3.17 does not properly check
for an integer overflow, which allows local users to cause a denial of
service (insufficient memory allocation) or possibly have unspecified other
impact via a crafted SNDRV\_COMPRESS\_SET\_PARAMS ioctl call.

### From the Ubuntu Security Team

It was discovered that the compression handling code in the Advanced Linux
Sound Architecture (ALSA) subsystem in the Linux kernel did not properly
check for an integer overflow. A local attacker could use this to cause a
denial of service (system crash).

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2014-9904?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| linux | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 15.10 wily | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 3.13.0-101.148 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected |
| linux-armadaxp | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected |
| linux-aws | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-flo | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-gke | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-goldfish | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-grouper | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-hwe | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-hwe-edge | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-linaro-omap | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| linux-linaro-shared | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| linux-linaro-vexpress | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| linux-lts-quantal | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| linux-lts-raring | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| linux-lts-saucy | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| linux-lts-trusty | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 3.13.0-101.148~precise1 |
| linux-lts-utopic | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-lts-vivid | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-lts-wily | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-lts-xenial | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-maguro | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-mako | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-manta | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-qcm-msm | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| linux-raspi2 | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 15.10 wily | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-snapdragon | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| linux-ti-omap4 | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2014-9904?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [jdstrand](https://launchpad.net/~jdstrand)

android kernels (flo, goldfish, grouper, maguro, mako and manta) are
not supported on the Ubuntu Touch 14.10 and earlier preview kernels
linux-lts-saucy no longer receives official support
linux-lts-quantal no longer receives official support

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| linux | * Introduced by   [b35cc82](https://git.kernel.org/linus/b35cc8225845112a616e3a2266d2fde5ab13d3ab),   fixed by   [6217e5e](https://git.kernel.org/linus/6217e5ede23285ddfee10d2e4ba0cc2d4c046205) |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

7.8 · High

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Local |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | Low |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | High |
  | Integrity impact | High |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 7.8 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

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

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2014-9904)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-9904)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2014-9904)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2014-9904)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-3127-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3127-1)
+ Linux kernel vulnerabilities
+ 11 November 2016

+ [USN-3127-2](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3127-2)
+ Linux kernel (Trusty HWE) vulnerabilities
+ 11 November 2016

### Other references

* <https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6217e5ede23285ddfee10d2e4ba0cc2d4c046205>
* <http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=6217e5ede23285ddfee10d2e4ba0cc2d4c046205>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-9904>
