Bluetooth reply amplification via unenforced signaling MTU
Published Jun 25, 2026 · Updated Jun 25, 2026
Improper L2CAP signaling validation in Linux Kernel allows physically proximate attackers to amplify Bluetooth replies before pairing. The l2cap_sig_channel() path accepts BR/EDR fixed-channel packets above the 48-byte signaling MTU and dispatches every packed ECHO_REQ. A peer within radio range needs no pairing and can turn one 681-byte packet into 168 ECHO_RSP frames, consuming Bluetooth airtime and processing without reported crash or data impact.
Summary
What happened
Improper L2CAP signaling validation in Linux Kernel allows physically proximate attackers to amplify Bluetooth replies before pairing. The l2cap_sig_channel() path accepts BR/EDR fixed-channel packets above the 48-byte signaling MTU and dispatches every packed ECHO_REQ. A peer within radio range needs no pairing and can turn one 681-byte packet into 168 ECHO_RSP frames, consuming Bluetooth airtime and processing without reported crash or data impact.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-53208
- Published
- Jun 25, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 25, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 25, 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=0 <5.10.259
- Affected versionversion=0 <5.15.210
- Affected versionversion=0 <6.1.176
- Affected versionversion=0 <6.12.94
- Affected versionversion=0 <6.18.36
- Affected versionversion=0 <6.6.143
- Affected versionversion=0 <7.0.13
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <214a2042b16b3c8d798a8b9ef9f36094f13a9859
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a8335f3db15bd1e0e82e0db5d488fabc7d10d1ab
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <b20e8a98dd29b121f58fcdf51e8576119aba536a
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <dd214733544427587a95f66dbf3adff072568990
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <dedc92b96dc1d8919a3bdf2495ede68922ef7ebc
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e05c4ac575b457978a7ef441053394169084869c
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e2b8acf9405bd9b1baf1c54dc897b0905db689bf
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <fa5823126239b3e453fac1a2fe50726c7f4a55e1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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