Out-of-bounds read in Linux kernel Bluetooth HCI socket filtering
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
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 7 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel is affected from 2.6.12 until the fixed versions listed in the solution, in its Bluetooth HCI socket filter. The filter reads the event code and command opcode from a Bluetooth event before checking that the event is long enough, which is an out-of-bounds read. A malformed event supplied by a Bluetooth controller or a vhci device can trigger the 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_sock: validate event length before filtering is_filtered_packet() reads the event code from skb->data[0] without first checking that the skb is nonempty. When an opcode filter is configured, it also reads the command opcode at offsets 3 or 4 without checking that a Command Complete or Command Status event is long enough. hci_send_to_sock() invokes the filter before hci_event_packet() validates the event header. A malformed event supplied by a controller or a vhci device can therefore cause an out-of-bounds read. Keep the unmasked event code for the opcode checks. The masked value is needed for the 64-bit event bitmap, but using it to identify command events aliases event codes above 0x3f. In particular, Synchronous Train Complete (0x4f) was treated as Command Status (0x0f) even though its payload has no opcode. Reject actual command events that are too short for the field being inspected. A truncated command event cannot match a configured opcode.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.12 and later | 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 7.3 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.12 and later Fixed in 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 7.3 Patch available CNA
Remediation
Upgrade the Linux kernel to 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9 or 7.3, or to the fixed commit for your branch. The sources list no fixed version for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, or for Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 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 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | 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 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98461
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-xggg-9q4f-8rr9
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-20 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-20 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/39e99d85071bca0feeec3164a9437ca1bff297fc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ebdd49cec380731844ed9df4092a29a014623df4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2501a3b7b7144d1d11939b355a48ed01f83d0c62
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dca25c204f71be0556a15177dbe037237ac43e5e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3976bbcd43b9b94c53ac9b0fd28888011588f4cc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f894f6292d5122cd62d30600736b4a0ae79f7770
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1a92763c2ba721bf113cd83f913fe8c511b4a4dc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b0a6cf99afd57a39598b1beca0e86ef5004980de
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- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
Sources
- CVE-2026-98461 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98461 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-xggg-9q4f-8rr9 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98461 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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