Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

Bluetooth: hci_conn: return ERR_PTR instead of NULL when there is no link

hci_connect_sco currently returns NULL when there is no link (i.e. when
hci_conn_link() returns NULL).

sco_connect() expects an ERR_PTR in case of any error (see line 266 in
sco.c). Thus, hcon set as NULL passes through to sco_conn_add(), which
tries to get hcon->hdev, resulting in dereferencing a NULL pointer as
reported by syzkaller.

The same issue exists for iso_connect_cis() calling hci_connect_cis().

Thus, make hci_connect_sco() and hci_connect_cis() return ERR_PTR
instead of NULL.
Published: 2025-12-24
Score: 7.0 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

No analysis available yet.

Remediation

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Tracking

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History

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

 cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Important

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 11:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: hci_conn: return ERR_PTR instead of NULL when there is no link hci_connect_sco currently returns NULL when there is no link (i.e. when hci_conn_link() returns NULL). sco_connect() expects an ERR_PTR in case of any error (see line 266 in sco.c). Thus, hcon set as NULL passes through to sco_conn_add(), which tries to get hcon->hdev, resulting in dereferencing a NULL pointer as reported by syzkaller. The same issue exists for iso_connect_cis() calling hci_connect_cis(). Thus, make hci_connect_sco() and hci_connect_cis() return ERR_PTR instead of NULL.
Title Bluetooth: hci_conn: return ERR_PTR instead of NULL when there is no link
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2025-12-24T10:56:04.623Z

Reserved: 2025-12-24T10:53:46.181Z

Link: CVE-2023-54038

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2025-12-24T11:15:56.793

Modified: 2025-12-29T15:58:56.260

Link: CVE-2023-54038

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Important

Publid Date: 2025-12-24T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2023-54038 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.