Bluetooth encryption bypass via trusted HCI success status
Published Sep 13, 2024 · Updated Sep 17, 2025
Improper encryption-state validation in Zephyr RTOS 3.6 and earlier allows physically proximate attackers to bypass Bluetooth link encryption. In hci_encrypt_change, the host trusts a successful event error_code without checking evt->encrypt, so a malicious peripheral's rejected request is recorded as encrypted. The target must act as a Bluetooth Central and connect to the peripheral; affected host layers can then disclose or accept modified traffic over an unencrypted ACL.
Summary
What happened
Improper encryption-state validation in Zephyr RTOS 3.6 and earlier allows physically proximate attackers to bypass Bluetooth link encryption. In hci_encrypt_change, the host trusts a successful event error_code without checking evt->encrypt, so a malicious peripheral's rejected request is recorded as encrypted. The target must act as a Bluetooth Central and connect to the peripheral; affected host layers can then disclose or accept modified traffic over an unencrypted ACL.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-5754
- Published
- Sep 13, 2024
- Updated
- Sep 17, 2025
- Vendor
- Zephyr Project
- Product
- Zephyr RTOS
- Classifications
- CWE-807
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 13, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 17, 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.
- Affected versionversion=* <=3.6
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Malicious Bluetooth encryption rejection sequenceproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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