Kernel compromise via unlocked Bluetooth connection dequeue
Published Oct 15, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux kernel 6.15 and 6.16 before 6.16.10 allows physically proximate attackers to crash or compromise the kernel. While handling HCI_EV_NUM_COMP_PKTS, hci_num_comp_pkts_evt omits the hdev lock, allowing concurrent teardown to free a connection before hci_conn_tx_dequeue reads and mutates it. An unauthenticated Bluetooth peer within radio range can drive traffic and connection churn; a connectable adapter is required, and exploitation can panic the host or corrupt kernel memory.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux kernel 6.15 and 6.16 before 6.16.10 allows physically proximate attackers to crash or compromise the kernel. While handling HCI_EV_NUM_COMP_PKTS, hci_num_comp_pkts_evt omits the hdev lock, allowing concurrent teardown to free a connection before hci_conn_tx_dequeue reads and mutates it. An unauthenticated Bluetooth peer within radio range can drive traffic and connection churn; a connectable adapter is required, and exploitation can panic the host or corrupt kernel memory.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-39983
- Published
- Oct 15, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1210
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 15, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 2026Record 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=134f4b39df7b77225a80ef585c15d46f964f5e6f <2e128683176a56459cef8705fc7c35f438f88abd
- Affected versionversion=134f4b39df7b77225a80ef585c15d46f964f5e6f <dde33124f17cf3bab4dc5e18d1b4dee128361061
- Affected versionversion=6.15
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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