CVE-2026-68189

Local privilege escalation via UUID-list use-after-free

Published Aug 10, 2026 · Updated Aug 10, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux kernel Bluetooth code allows local users to gain kernel privileges through concurrent UUID updates. The asynchronous hci_cmd_sync worker traverses hdev->uuids under req_lock while add_uuid() and remove_uuid() modify and free entries under hdev->lock, letting eir_create read freed memory. Exploitation requires local CAP_NET_ADMIN access and attacker-controlled concurrent management-socket commands, and it can disclose or corrupt kernel memory or crash the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux kernel Bluetooth code allows local users to gain kernel privileges through concurrent UUID updates. The asynchronous hci_cmd_sync worker traverses hdev->uuids under req_lock while add_uuid() and remove_uuid() modify and free entries under hdev->lock, letting eir_create read freed memory. Exploitation requires local CAP_NET_ADMIN access and attacker-controlled concurrent management-socket commands, and it can disclose or corrupt kernel memory or crash the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-68189
Published
Aug 10, 2026
Updated
Aug 10, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 10, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=161510ccf91c961638940b03abb1ee804be53a97 <a351f68fb24828b23a971e00b8238ee0e8a40380
  2. Affected versionversion=161510ccf91c961638940b03abb1ee804be53a97 <a42f5536ea9c00e13f0c0fbb330feed95e2365ca
  3. Affected versionversion=161510ccf91c961638940b03abb1ee804be53a97 <e4fa2c5c261d736b8e58759fdef3a968d510630c
  4. Affected versionversion=161510ccf91c961638940b03abb1ee804be53a97 <e9027ffbf5a0f3c12ca8900822e884eae9f0821b
  5. Affected versionversion=161510ccf91c961638940b03abb1ee804be53a97 <fe13adc258df88d95789e5673c7ba5178b5f8b28
  6. Affected versionversion=5.17

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=161510ccf91c961638940b03abb1ee804be53a97 <a351f68fb24828b23a971e00b8238ee0e8a40380; version=161510ccf91c961638940b03abb1ee804be53a97 <a42f5536ea9c00e13f0c0fbb330feed95e2365ca; version=161510ccf91c961638940b03abb1ee804be53a97 <e4fa2c5c261d736b8e58759fdef3a968d510630c; version=161510ccf91c961638940b03abb1ee804be53a97 <e9027ffbf5a0f3c12ca8900822e884eae9f0821b; version=161510ccf91c961638940b03abb1ee804be53a97 <fe13adc258df88d95789e5673c7ba5178b5f8b28; version=5.17

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux kernel CVE teamCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.1UbuntuCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
4.7Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/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.

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

No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo