CVE-2026-68479

Local privilege escalation via firmware length underflow

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Memory corruption in the Linux kernel allows local users to gain kernel privileges via crafted Realtek Bluetooth firmware files. rtlbt_parse_firmware() subtracts four from an undersized patch length and accepts an overflow-prone offset-plus-length check before allocating and copying, causing oversized kernel reads and writes. Exploitation requires placing a malicious host firmware file and powering on an affected Realtek adapter; the resulting heap corruption can disclose kernel memory, escalate privileges, or panic the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory corruption in the Linux kernel allows local users to gain kernel privileges via crafted Realtek Bluetooth firmware files. rtlbt_parse_firmware() subtracts four from an undersized patch length and accepts an overflow-prone offset-plus-length check before allocating and copying, causing oversized kernel reads and writes. Exploitation requires placing a malicious host firmware file and powering on an affected Realtek adapter; the resulting heap corruption can disclose kernel memory, escalate privileges, or panic the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-68479
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 15, 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=4.2
  2. Affected versionversion=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <39e01b4addfbbe177567d6ed1dfb81f9cccb19e6
  3. Affected versionversion=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <609c5b04a28dc1b0f3af6a7bc93055135b2d2059
  4. Affected versionversion=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <6744ab60dfac55d1df5733960aad5be300984301
  5. Affected versionversion=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <68c5a2a19987c035eb129e627e579adafb04f637
  6. Affected versionversion=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <83534891c058ed71e251135072640911670869aa
  7. Affected versionversion=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <a4cb830e0b55ac76c849fd7840afb251f4c028fa
  8. Affected versionversion=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <bda3c598ade6ea03884074b91e31608326684921
  9. Affected versionversion=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <f1ca750c0510bdbb504bf084d2f196ef2af92ea6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.2; version=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <39e01b4addfbbe177567d6ed1dfb81f9cccb19e6; version=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <609c5b04a28dc1b0f3af6a7bc93055135b2d2059; version=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <6744ab60dfac55d1df5733960aad5be300984301; version=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <68c5a2a19987c035eb129e627e579adafb04f637; version=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <83534891c058ed71e251135072640911670869aa; version=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <a4cb830e0b55ac76c849fd7840afb251f4c028fa; version=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <bda3c598ade6ea03884074b91e31608326684921; version=db33c77dddc2ed2cff3061d0b096a9f5ab0c3647 <f1ca750c0510bdbb504bf084d2f196ef2af92ea6

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux Kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.7Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.4SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
6.7SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/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.

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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

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Your stack

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