The Linux kernel’s Bluetooth stack contained a race condition in the device registration path: a work task queued before full initialization of a device’s mutex could execute concurrently, causing an uninitialized mutex lock and triggering a kernel DEBUG_LOCKS warning. This flaw does not directly disclose data but can precipitate a kernel panic, resulting in a denial of service. The underlying weakness involves improper initialization and a race condition.

All releases of the Linux kernel that incorporated the buggy Bluetooth hci_core implementation before the fix are impacted. No specific version range is listed in the advisory, so any kernel build prior to the patch may be vulnerable. Users running standard kernel packages should verify that the kernel has been updated to the patched branch.

The flaw is not catalogued in CISA’s KEV and no EPSS score is available, so the publicly measured exploitation probability is unknown. Attackers would need to trigger the race during device registration, which is typically achieved by introducing a Bluetooth device (or emulating one) that sets the HCI_QUIRK_RAW_DEVICE flag, causing the driver to attempt configuration while the work queue executes. This suggests that the attack vector is likely remote via Bluetooth communication or local if an attacker can load a HAL device. Because the issue can lead to a kernel panic, the severity is high from a system availability standpoint, though a direct exploitation example has not been documented in public advisories.