Use-after-free in Linux kernel Bluetooth codec list cleanup
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel Bluetooth stack is affected, including versions from 6.1.57 before 6.1.189 and from 6.5.7 before 6.6. In hci_dev_close_sync(), the local codec list is cleared without holding the device lock, so a concurrent SCO socket getsockopt query can read an entry that the close path has already freed, causing a use-after-free read.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: hci_sync: Serialize local codec list cleanup hci_dev_close_sync() clears hdev->local_codecs after releasing hdev->lock. Codec list additions and both traversals in sco_sock_getsockopt() use that lock, but the close path does not. A close and BT_CODEC query can therefore interleave as follows: hci_dev_close_sync() sco_sock_getsockopt() hci_dev_lock() fetch codec entry hci_codec_list_clear() kfree(entry) read entry->id The reader then accesses an entry which the close path has freed. KASAN BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in sco_sock_getsockopt+0xfa0/0xfe0 Read of size 1 at addr ffff8881001c3450 Call Trace: sco_sock_getsockopt+0xfa0/0xfe0 do_sock_getsockopt+0x537/0x7b0 __sys_getsockopt+0xf2/0x170 Allocated by task 92: hci_codec_list_add.isra.0+0x2c/0x440 hci_read_codec_capabilities+0x224/0x590 hci_read_supported_codecs+0x2c2/0x640 Freed by task 92: kfree+0x131/0x3c0 hci_codec_list_clear+0xd8/0x160 hci_dev_close_sync+0x92a/0xfa0 Take hdev->lock around the clear operation at its existing point in the close path. This makes the clear wait for active readers and prevents a new traversal until the list is empty without changing teardown ordering.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Linux kernel fixes are available in 6.1.189, 6.6, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8 and 7.3. Red Hat lists no available fix plan for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.189, 6.6
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98246
- 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-4jxq-xw37-v6h5
- 2026-10-11 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-11 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-01 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9f407d52c0d881430d689836d3e7d32aa36f98b5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/560ed4373c06a58123ecdf9ad5ecaddc87a73382
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1ee0c5429dc4a92879bda2554b1bfd4abc6c587c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4dc1ae5ff75b17e17ec4b74b11cc4b0099e71e00
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1276c2fafd18499769a28f96f45c5a76d6fc990e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a10987a2f160a44a638c9a35994ca6e3089696e
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98246 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98246 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-4jxq-xw37-v6h5 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98246 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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