Memory leak in Linux kernel RFCOMM Bluetooth 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: 6 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel Bluetooth RFCOMM implementation is affected. When a connected RFCOMM channel has no owner, incoming data frames are passed to a callback that does not free the buffer, so the kernel leaks one buffer per frame. The leak keeps growing for as long as the remote device keeps sending data frames.
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: RFCOMM: free the skb when the DLC has no owner rfcomm_recv_data() hands the skb to d->data_ready() and returns 0 without freeing it, so the callback owns the skb from that point on. The tty implementation frees it when the DLC has been detached from its device: static void rfcomm_dev_data_ready(struct rfcomm_dlc *dlc, struct sk_buff *skb) { struct rfcomm_dev *dev = dlc->owner; if (!dev) { kfree_skb(skb); return; } The socket implementation returns without freeing it, and the skb is leaked. A connected DLC can have no owner: rfcomm_sock_destruct() clears d->owner, while the DLC itself stays on the session until it is closed. Data frames that arrive in that window still find d->state == BT_CONNECTED in rfcomm_recv_data() and are handed to the callback, one leaked skb each. The leak does not stop on its own either. The remote runs out of credits only once RFCOMM_RX_THROTTLED is set, and for a socket the only place that sets it is rfcomm_sk_data_ready() itself, below the return. rfcomm_process_dlcs() keeps granting credits, so the remote keeps sending and the leak keeps growing. Free the skb, as the tty side does.
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 | 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.57, 7.2.11, 7.3 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.12 and later Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.57, 7.2.11, 7.3 Patch available CNA
Remediation
Update the Linux kernel to 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.57, 7.2.11 or 7.3. Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 as affected without a fix available, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 as affected with no fix planned.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.57, 7.2.11, 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 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-23 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-99010
- 2026-10-23 Alias added: GHSA-7365-w977-m58v
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-29 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@05145638e0db770267c39615c8ce51ab058e34cf, Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected] +3 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 3 new references · CNA
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/05145638e0db770267c39615c8ce51ab058e34cf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/91492e9194f3b10bc1eb50683ac440b74a487e39
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a835b7f445427c7bdfc7169a97e0a1bec375e408
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a54ce160e3ef7e50ec94e0ac4131c3d0f9f739b9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c3f76b025cbbb0ab47310dbe7de18092d89f2a99
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4f46de658ce61968aef5ea7ae809d1c180330544
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b8814161b14c610b7a09527433301d8ad8180aef
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9d1afbf60ed53c5b051cd124153e0ae3078c8b93
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Sources
- CVE-2026-99010 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-99010 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-7365-w977-m58v · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-99010 · 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