CVE-2022-3806

Device crash via HCI buffer double free

Published Jan 19, 2023 · Updated Apr 3, 2025

Double free in Zephyr RTOS 3.2 and earlier allows physically proximate attackers to crash a device through Bluetooth HCI errors. The bt_spi_send and bt_esp32_send error paths release a network buffer even though ownership remains with bt_send's caller, which releases it again. Exploitation requires a compromised radio chip or induced SPI send errors; the demonstrated consequence is a device crash, while further exploitability is unverified.

CVSS severity3.8
Low
EPSS probability1.01%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Double free in Zephyr RTOS 3.2 and earlier allows physically proximate attackers to crash a device through Bluetooth HCI errors. The bt_spi_send and bt_esp32_send error paths release a network buffer even though ownership remains with bt_send's caller, which releases it again. Exploitation requires a compromised radio chip or induced SPI send errors; the demonstrated consequence is a device crash, while further exploitability is unverified.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-3806
Published
Jan 19, 2023
Updated
Apr 3, 2025
Vendor
Zephyr Project
Product
Zephyr RTOS
Classifications
CWE-415, T1499.004
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 19, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 3, 2025Record 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=unspecified <=v3.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Zephyr Project · Zephyr RTOSversion=unspecified <=v3.2

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
3.8Zephyr ProjectCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-415Double Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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