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

Bluetooth: hci_conn: Lock parent access during enhanced SCO setup

Bluetooth: hci_conn: Lock parent access during enhanced SCO setup

hci_enhanced_setup_sync() runs on the request workqueue without the
hci_dev_lock held by its caller when setup was queued. Its CVSD
capability check and find_next_esco_param() dereference conn->parent
while the receive workqueue can unlink and release that parent.

The following interleaving can cause a use-after-free:

hci_enhanced_setup_sync() hci_disconn_complete_evt()
load conn->parent
hci_dev_lock()
hci_conn_del(ACL parent)
unlink SCO child
drop link's parent reference
clear child->parent
release ACL parent
bt_link_release()
kfree(parent)
hci_dev_unlock()
read parent->features[0][3]

The reference held for the queued SCO child does not keep its ACL parent
alive after unlinking. Commit 42de40abe25d ("Bluetooth: hci_conn: fix the
SCO setup context lifetime") protects the child stored in the queued
context, but leaves these parent accesses unprotected.

With a 40 ms diagnostic delay after loading conn->parent, an instrumented
kernel based on fd179f8a05be, which already contains 42de40abe25d,

BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in hci_enhanced_setup_sync+0xda5/0xdf0
Read of size 1 at addr ffff888102204047 by task kworker/u17:0/93
Call Trace:
hci_enhanced_setup_sync+0xda5/0xdf0
hci_cmd_sync_work+0x13c/0x290
process_one_work+0x6b4/0x10e0

Allocated by task 92:
__hci_conn_add+0x304/0x1df0
hci_connect_acl+0x349/0x3e0
hci_connect_sco+0x3b/0x9a0
sco_sock_connect+0x475/0xca0

Freed by task 94:
kfree+0x121/0x3c0
bt_link_release+0x79/0xa0
device_release+0xc8/0x240
kobject_put+0x14d/0x280
hci_conn_del+0x524/0xe30
hci_disconn_complete_evt+0x403/0x8c0
hci_event_packet+0x71b/0xb20
hci_rx_work+0x293/0x730

The accessed address is 71 bytes into the freed ACL parent, at its
features[0][3] byte; the queued SCO child is a different object. The
diagnostic preserves the loaded parent across the delay, matching the
unmodified compiled capability check, and does not change the parent
references or teardown path.

Hold hci_dev_lock() across the codec switch, including every call to
find_next_esco_param(), and release it on all selection errors. Keep
configure_datapath_sync() outside the critical section because it waits
for HCI events. Preserve parameter selection and existing return values.
Published: 2026-10-18
Score: n/a
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
Impact: Potential kernel memory corruption or privilege escalation via use‑after‑free
Action: Immediate Patch
AI Analysis

Impact

The kernel flaw occurs when hci_enhanced_setup_sync runs on the request workqueue without holding the hci_dev_lock, allowing a concurrent disconnection to unlink and free the parent ACL connection while the SCO child accesses it. This race results in a use‑after‑free that can corrupt kernel memory, trigger a crash, or enable arbitrary kernel code execution.

Affected Systems

The vulnerability resides in the Linux kernel’s Bluetooth subsystem. Any distribution shipping a kernel that does not include commit 42de40abe25d, which protects the parent reference, remains vulnerable. The flaw affects all builds where this lock guard is missing, regardless of distribution or release date.

Risk and Exploitability

Given that the issue is a classic use‑after‑free, an attacker with control over Bluetooth traffic could crash the system or elevate privileges. The EPSS score is not available and the vulnerability is not listed in CISA KEV, but the absence of a lock in a component handling externally supplied packets places the risk at a moderate to high level, especially for systems that enable SCO or legacy audio profiles.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on October 18, 2026 at 19:11 UTC.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

  • Upgrade the Linux kernel to a release that includes commit 42de40abe25d or later.
  • If an immediate kernel upgrade is not possible, disable the SCO feature or block incoming Bluetooth connections that initiate legacy audio to eliminate the race condition.
  • Configure the Bluetooth stack to require user authentication before pairing, reducing the chance that an attacker can send crafted packets without user involvement.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on October 18, 2026 at 19:11 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories

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History

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: hci_conn: Lock parent access during enhanced SCO setup Bluetooth: hci_conn: Lock parent access during enhanced SCO setup hci_enhanced_setup_sync() runs on the request workqueue without the hci_dev_lock held by its caller when setup was queued. Its CVSD capability check and find_next_esco_param() dereference conn->parent while the receive workqueue can unlink and release that parent. The following interleaving can cause a use-after-free: hci_enhanced_setup_sync() hci_disconn_complete_evt() load conn->parent hci_dev_lock() hci_conn_del(ACL parent) unlink SCO child drop link's parent reference clear child->parent release ACL parent bt_link_release() kfree(parent) hci_dev_unlock() read parent->features[0][3] The reference held for the queued SCO child does not keep its ACL parent alive after unlinking. Commit 42de40abe25d ("Bluetooth: hci_conn: fix the SCO setup context lifetime") protects the child stored in the queued context, but leaves these parent accesses unprotected. With a 40 ms diagnostic delay after loading conn->parent, an instrumented kernel based on fd179f8a05be, which already contains 42de40abe25d, BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in hci_enhanced_setup_sync+0xda5/0xdf0 Read of size 1 at addr ffff888102204047 by task kworker/u17:0/93 Call Trace: hci_enhanced_setup_sync+0xda5/0xdf0 hci_cmd_sync_work+0x13c/0x290 process_one_work+0x6b4/0x10e0 Allocated by task 92: __hci_conn_add+0x304/0x1df0 hci_connect_acl+0x349/0x3e0 hci_connect_sco+0x3b/0x9a0 sco_sock_connect+0x475/0xca0 Freed by task 94: kfree+0x121/0x3c0 bt_link_release+0x79/0xa0 device_release+0xc8/0x240 kobject_put+0x14d/0x280 hci_conn_del+0x524/0xe30 hci_disconn_complete_evt+0x403/0x8c0 hci_event_packet+0x71b/0xb20 hci_rx_work+0x293/0x730 The accessed address is 71 bytes into the freed ACL parent, at its features[0][3] byte; the queued SCO child is a different object. The diagnostic preserves the loaded parent across the delay, matching the unmodified compiled capability check, and does not change the parent references or teardown path. Hold hci_dev_lock() across the codec switch, including every call to find_next_esco_param(), and release it on all selection errors. Keep configure_datapath_sync() outside the critical section because it waits for HCI events. Preserve parameter selection and existing return values.
Title Bluetooth: hci_conn: Lock parent access during enhanced SCO setup
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: 2026-10-18T15:47:14.076Z

Reserved: 2026-09-25T10:25:14.367Z

Link: CVE-2026-98736

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-10-18T16:17:27.237

Modified: 2026-10-18T16:17:27.237

Link: CVE-2026-98736

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-10-18T19:15:14Z

Weaknesses