Race condition in Linux kernel Bluetooth SMP remote OOB data handling
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: 1 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel from 3.19 is affected. The Bluetooth SMP code reads remote OOB pairing data without holding the device lock, so a concurrent removal can free an entry that is still in use. This causes a use-after-free in build_pairing_cmd, which KASAN reported.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: Serialize SMP remote OOB data access build_pairing_cmd() looks up remote OOB data and copies its contents without holding hdev->lock, which serializes the list's writers. After SMP finds an entry, a concurrent management Remove Remote OOB Data command can unlink and free it before SMP reads its present flag or copies its random and confirmation values. Removal can also invalidate an entry while the lookup is still traversing the list. KASAN reported: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in build_pairing_cmd+0x948/0x9b0 Call Trace: build_pairing_cmd+0x948/0x9b0 smp_recv_cb+0x459f/0x8110 l2cap_recv_frame+0xf14/0x9190 l2cap_recv_acldata+0xa64/0xd40 hci_rx_work+0x4ca/0x730 Allocated by task 87: hci_add_remote_oob_data+0x11d/0x530 add_remote_oob_data+0x282/0x400 hci_sock_sendmsg+0x1033/0x1ea0 Freed by task 93: hci_remote_oob_data_clear+0x108/0x1c0 remove_remote_oob_data+0x198/0x220 hci_sock_sendmsg+0x1033/0x1ea0 Taking hdev->lock in build_pairing_cmd() would recurse for callers that already hold it and invert the device-to-L2CAP lock order on the receive path. Add a per-device remote_oob_lock instead, held across the SMP lookup and copies and by the add, remove and clear helpers. Cover initialization and in-place updates as well, so SMP cannot read partially initialized or updated OOB values. Release the mutex on allocation failure, preserving the existing error return. The new critical sections acquire no device, connection or channel locks. Writers retain their existing hdev->lock protection, which continues to serialize the other readers without changing their locking or behavior.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Update the Linux kernel to 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10 or 7.3, depending on the branch in use. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 is affected, and Red Hat lists no fix available for it.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 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 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98738
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-pp83-8gx8-qvjg
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-21 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@94afa17d6bfd5c1d367c56c8b63df5f695380861 · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
References
Other 5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/94afa17d6bfd5c1d367c56c8b63df5f695380861
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e11412a1b9854a89d044576d616675b16141d87
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/889c61e3d0f1091a958e4b2a24b20bab23d915c4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/df5162eeb10e69fe0c2349503882c4a09077f001
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/81a2345f1984f0b36d3226571bc196316a01b648
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98738 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98738 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-pp83-8gx8-qvjg · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98738 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences