CVE-2020-24490Public exploit

System crash via unchecked Bluetooth advertisement length

Published Feb 2, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

A heap-based buffer overflow in Linux Kernel 4.19 and later allows physically proximate attackers to crash systems via Bluetooth 5 advertisements. hci_le_ext_adv_report_evt passes an unchecked, up-to-255-byte report to store_pending_adv_report, which copies it into a 31-byte last_adv_data buffer. Triggering requires a Bluetooth 5 adapter and active advertisement scanning; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel panic.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability2.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A heap-based buffer overflow in Linux Kernel 4.19 and later allows physically proximate attackers to crash systems via Bluetooth 5 advertisements. hci_le_ext_adv_report_evt passes an unchecked, up-to-255-byte report to store_pending_adv_report, which copies it into a 31-byte last_adv_data buffer. Triggering requires a Bluetooth 5 adapter and active advertisement scanning; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-24490
Published
Feb 2, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 2, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=all Linux kernel versions that support BlueZ

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=all Linux kernel versions that support BlueZ

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.3Intel CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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