CVE-2026-74528

System crash via unreferenced Bluetooth connection pointers

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux kernel Bluetooth 6.19 through 7.1.7 and 7.2-rc1 through 7.2-rc5 allows remote authenticated users to crash the system. hci_past_sync() stores conn and le pointers in asynchronous callback data without taking references, so either connection can be freed and its allocation reused before hci_conn_valid() receives the pointer. Reachability requires Bluetooth PAST synchronization and low privileges; published evidence establishes memory reuse and system instability but not reliable code execution.

CVSS severity8.0
High
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux kernel Bluetooth 6.19 through 7.1.7 and 7.2-rc1 through 7.2-rc5 allows remote authenticated users to crash the system. hci_past_sync() stores conn and le pointers in asynchronous callback data without taking references, so either connection can be freed and its allocation reused before hci_conn_valid() receives the pointer. Reachability requires Bluetooth PAST synchronization and low privileges; published evidence establishes memory reuse and system instability but not reliable code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-74528
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-825, T1068
Attack vector
adjacent
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

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=6.19
  2. Affected versionversion=d3413703d5f8b7d1e6f514f9440ed5da1bc30796 <abf9753edf3f88282c44a605f3945d8d4f8dd86c
  3. Affected versionversion=d3413703d5f8b7d1e6f514f9440ed5da1bc30796 <e6792adef614b389141b142e30ee549e4a47dd7d

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.19; version=d3413703d5f8b7d1e6f514f9440ed5da1bc30796 <abf9753edf3f88282c44a605f3945d8d4f8dd86c; version=d3413703d5f8b7d1e6f514f9440ed5da1bc30796 <e6792adef614b389141b142e30ee549e4a47dd7d

Published CVSS scores

7.0Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.0Linux CNACVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/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)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-825Expired Pointer Dereference
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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